Case against Chidambaram under Black Money Act Congress’ ‘Nawaz Sharif moment’: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday launched a scathing attack at the Congress and accused the party of shielding former finance minister P Chidambaram after IT department filed an FIR against the leader in the alleged disproportionate assets case.

Addressing a press conference on the issue, Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that IT department’s action against Chidambaram was the “Nawaz Sharif moment” for the Congress.

The defence minister called out Congress president Rahul Gandhi to investigate the allegations against Chidambaram.

“Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is himself out on bail should come out and tell us if he is going to investigate this case involving one of his leaders,” Sitharaman told reporters in New Delhi.

She alleged that by failing to disclose his and his family’s foreign investments to the tax authority, Chidambaram violated the Black Money Law brought by Narendra Modi government to prosecute Indians having illicit wealth abroad.

“As per the Income Tax estimates, Chidambaram Family’s illegal assets in 14 countries and 21 foreign bank accounts are expected to be worth three billion dollars,” Sitharaman said citing IT department’s charge sheet.

Earlier on Friday, the Income Tax Department had filed four criminal cases against the former finance minister and his family.

The case was filed in a Chennai court under the sections of the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015.

Sitharaman alleged that Chidambaram’s wife Nalini, son Karti and his wife Srinidhi did not disclose their immovable assets worth Rs. 6.1 crore in the UK, and Rs.3.28 crore in the US.

Reacting to the charge sheet filed against the former UPA minister, BJP president Amit Shah said, ”This explains why despite Supreme Court’s orders Sonia Gandhi, former PM Dr Manmohan Singh & then FM P Chidambaram dragged their feet on formation of SIT, one of the first decisions taken by Modi govt, to fight Black Money! How could they indict their own selves?”