Government wants to demonise P Chidambaram, alleges family

Chennai: The family of former Union minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, who is in CBI custody in Delhi in connection with the INX Media case, on Tuesday accused the media of “reporting completely wild, unverified and unsubstantiated allegations” against him in the last few days.

“Our appeal to the media is to exercise restraint, uphold liberty and dignity and always remember that only the Rule of Law will protect all of us, including the media,” said the family in a statement. The family includes lawyer-wife Nalini, son Karti and daughter-in-law Dr Srinidhi.

“While we understand that the motive of the government (is) to demonize and humiliate Sh P. Chidambaram, we are deeply saddened that the media is unable to uphold liberty against calumny,” said the family, pointing out that one of the fundamental principles of liberty is: ‘Every person is presumed innocent unless proved to be guilty in a court of law’.

Stressing that the truth would prevail ultimately, they said Mr Chidambaram had been in public life for nearly 50 years and his “impeccable honesty, work as well as contribution cannot be wiped out by a campaign of vilification”.

“We are a small family possessed of enough wealth. We are all income tax assesses. We do not crave for money and we do not need to seek money in unlawful ways. We are therefore astounded by allegations of properties in multiple countries, multiple bank accounts, numerous shell companies, etc,” said the family, adding, “These are chapters plucked out of ghost stories, one day these ghosts will be buried”.

The family also repeated the challenge to the government — made by Chidambaram’s son Karti and his lawyer Kapil Sibal — “to produce a shred of evidence in support of one undisclosed bank account, one undisclosed property or one shell company anywhere in the world”.