New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday denied any role in the IT and CBI raids being carried out at the residences of former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and ex-union minister P Chidambaram's son Karti.
“There's no role for govt with regard to IT raids, or CBI cases, against either Chidambaram's son, Lalu Yadavji, Mayawatiji or Mulayam Singhji,” Union minister and senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said.
He also rejected claims that the government agencies were being misused to target political rivals.
“We haven't used or misused any of the agencies, we have allowed them to function independently, whether it is CBI, IT department or ED,” Naidu said.
P Chidambaram evades question after CBI conducted raids at his residence in Chennai, and locations of Karti Chidambaram
Earlier in the day, the Income Tax department raided several locations linked to Lalu Yadav and RJD MP PC Gupta as well as businessmen and real estate agents in Delhi, Gurugram and Rewari.
Over 100 officials were reportedly involved in the raids which began around 3 am on Tuesday.
IT officials also searched over 10 premises of some government officials.
Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also raided Karti Chidambaram's residences in the national capital and Chennai in connection with alleged favours granted in FIPB clearance to a firm.
According to PTI, the searches were spread across Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Gurugram.
The probe pertains to the cleareance given to INX Media in 2008 when P Chidambaram was the finance minister in the Manmohan Singh government.
"Searches are underway, there are mails, hard disks that need to be examined; searched premises of Karti Chidambaram," CBI Joint Director VVinayak said.
"Have set process of investigation in motion; all people whose involvement comes forth will be investigated," ANI quoted him as saying.
PM Modi had earlier accused Lalu Yadav and his children of being involved in corrupt land deals.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had on Monday said that if there was documentary proof or solid evidence against the RJD chief and his family then the central government should take legal action.
The Bharatiya Janata Party had demanded a CBI probe into the "shady" land deals.
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has alleged that RJD chief's daughter Misa Bharti has not disclosed these alleged assets in her election affidavit and has demanded that the Election Commission take action against her.
The BJP leader also alleged that the land deals were done during Lalu Prasad's tenure as Union Railway Minister in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
