The Hindu : National : ED rejects Jagat's charges

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 01, 2006

National

National

ED rejects Jagat's charges

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate denied allegations made by Jagat Singh, son of former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh that Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had instructed the agency to "find something" against him "even if it is not Volcker-related."

"Normally the Directorate of Enforcement does not respond to media reports. However since the allegations have been made earlier and repeated again, denying the allegations, the ED has categorically stated that all investigations into the Volcker Committee's report on the oil-for-food programme, have been conducted strictly in accordance with the law, uninfluenced by any person or any extraneous factors," an official press release said.

Though the release did not make any specific reference, it came in the wake of CNN-IBN on Friday carrying an interview of Mr. Singh in which he levelled the charge against Mr. Chidambaram. "Senior officials in the ED have taken Mr. Chidambaram's name and said they are under specific instructions from him that we have to find something on you, even if it is not Volcker related," the channel quoted him as saying in a release.

"I am only saying what the ED officials have told me. The ED comes under the direct control of the Finance Ministry," the release said. - PTI

Congress' reaction

Special Correspondent reports:

Congress on Friday described as "irresponsible" Mr. Singh's allegations. Party spokesperson, Abhishek Singhvi, said if Mr. Singh had said that had no evidence to back his charge, then the statement was "irresponsible".

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National

News Update

Stories in this Section