Finance Ministry officials trying to derail probe against Chidambarams': Swamy writes to PM Modi

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that the Central Bureau of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is not taking action against Karti Chidambaram and P. Chidambaram, further alleging that some officials in the Ministry of Finance as well are trying to derail the probe against them.

Swamy pointed out that he had written a letter on March 20, 2017 as well, seeking a probe against Karti Chidambaram, P Chidambaram and their family members under the Black Money Act and new Benami Act, alleging that they had amassed properties in 14 countries and held 21 foreign bank accounts.

"Revenue secretary has since then directed CBDT chairman to initiate probe on this matter in last week of March 2017. But till now, CBDT has not moved an inch on this matter, even after getting concrete findings of honest officers of Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax Chennai Unit," he stated in the letter to the Prime Minister.

Swamy said that instead of immediately registering cases and interrogating custodially, that is arrest the Chidambarams under Black Money Act and Benami Act, the CBDT Chairman and top officials in Delhi are trying to delay the case by writing to 14 countries to verify the details of the properties illegally acquired by Chidambaram and family members.

"There is no need to write to 14 countries when Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate have "unearthed clinching evidences," he added.

He further stated that the Income Tax Chennai Unit prepared a 200-page summary and Enforcement Directorate issued a 70-page summons to Karti and "his Benami directors" which has sufficient evidences to file cases under Black Money Act and Benami Act.

"I have reliable information that some officials from Ministry of Finance and CBDT are trying to save Chidambaram, and meeting him to leak information to him to derail the probe," he alleged.

Swamy concluded by requesting the Prime Minister to order the Revenue Secretary and CBDT Chairman to fasten the process and file cases under Black Money Act and Benami Act.

"I therefore I urge you to ask the Revenue Secretary and CBDT chairman to do due diligence and speedily process the necessary permission so that appropriate cases against P. Chidambaram and his family members are registered under Black Money Act and Benami Act without further delay," he said.

On August 4, The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) issued a lookout notice against Karti Chidambaram, to not leave India and inform concerned agencies before doing so.

This came in connection with the agencies' probe into the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to INX Media for allegedly receiving funds from Mauritius.

Karti has accused the CBI of hatching a conspiracy against him citing frustration arising out of their inability to prove anything against them in connection with the Aircel-Maxis case.

Earlier in February, the then communication minister Dayanidhi Maran and the others accused in the Aircel-Maxis case, were discharged by a special CBI court.

On July 19, the CBI sent a second notice to Karti summoning him to the CBI headquarters on July 21 for questioning regarding the INX Media Case.

The CBI had summoned Karti between June 27-29, but Karti, through his lawyers, informed the investigating team that he needed more time, before he could appear for questioning.

According to the CBI, INX Media stated in its records that an amount of Rs. 10 lakh was given to Advantage Strategic Consulting (P) Limited, a firm the CBI said was "indirectly" owned by Karti, for management consultancy charges towards an FIPB notification and clarification.