Former union minister P Chidambaram's family on Tuesday accused the media of presenting "unverified and unsusbstantiated allegations" against him and "challenged the government to produce a shred of evidence."
"We challenge the government to produce a shred of evidence in support of one undisclosed bank account, one undisclosed property or one shell company anywhere in the world," his family claimed in a statement posted on social media.
Chidambaram is in CBI custody in connection to the INX Media case. It involves alleged kickbacks received by his son Karti in exchange for allowing INX Media, a television company, to receive Rs 305 crore as foreign funds in 2007.
"We are distressed to note that the media has been reporting completely wild, unverified and unsubstantiated allegations against P Chidambaram in the last few days. While we understand that the motive of the government to demonize and humiliate Chidambaram, we are deeply saddened that the media is unable to uphold liberty against calumny. One of the fundamental principles of liberty 'every person is presumed innocent unless proved to be guilty in a court of law'," the statement added.
Chidambram has been in custody for a week now and on Monday, the Supreme Court sent him to further CBI custody till August 30. However, on Tuesday, the apex court extended interim protection granted to Chidambaram from arrest in the case being probed by Enforcement Directorate.
In the statement by Chidambaram's family, they also said said that the senior Congress leader has been in public life for 50 years with "impeccable honesty".
"We are a small family possessed of enough wealth. We are all income tax assesses. We do not crave for money and we have no 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. These are chapters plucked out of ghost stories, one day these ghosts will be buried," the statement further read.
