Never met Peter or Indrani Mukherjea, says Karti Chidambaram, claims “political vendetta”

Karti Chidambaram on Thursday termed the arrest of his father P Chidambaram as a "political vendetta" and vehemently denied any association with either Peter Mukherjea or his wife Indrani Mukherjea, the promoters of INX Media.

Karti arrived here this morning from Chennai, hours after his father was arrested on Wednesday night after high drama at his residence here in the INX Media case.

"This is not merely targeting of my father but the targeting of the Congress party. I will go to Jantar Mantar to protest," said Karti as he stepped out of the Delhi airport.

Karti said there was no legal necessity for Chidambaram to appear before the CBI and denied that his father had been in hiding.

He said despite several efforts by the CBI, the agency didn't have a case against them.

"First and foremost we are being targeted. There is no legal requirement for my father to be available to anybody...My father is a vehement, vocal and articulate critic of this government. Case has no legal basis, charges trumped-up," said Karti, who said that he knew the processes agencies use and never has the CBI given two hours notice to anyone.

"I have been summoned 20 times and raided four times. Nobody has ever been raided as many times but they still don't have a case....each time I (was summoned) was given a week's notice," he said.

When asked about his association with Peter and Indrani Mukherjea, Karti said he neither knew them nor has he met them.

"I have never met Peter Mukherjea. Have never met Indrani Mukherjea, only time I met her was during the CBI interrogation in Byculla jail. Never met anyone in FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board), don't know the process of FIPB", he said.

Chidambaram has strongly denied the allegations, saying the payments were for consultancy and his son was in no way associated with that company.