BJP targets PC over non-disclosure of 'illegal assets' abroad

The BJP on Sunday targeted former finance minister P Chidambaram saying that the non-disclosure of "illegal assets" held abroad by his family was the reason why the previous UPA government had dragged its feet setting up a special investigation team to probe black money.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Income Tax department's chargesheet against Chidambaram's family for non-disclosure of assets held abroad had presented a "Nawaz Sharif moment" to Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

She said there was a parallel in Chidambaram's case and that of former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who has been barred from holding public office for life by that country's Supreme Court for not disclosing assets held abroad.

The BJP's attack came after the I-T department informed a special court in Chennai that Chidambaram's wife Nalini, son Karti and daughter-in-law Srinidhi did not disclose their foreign assets and investments while filing their tax returns.

Chidambaram's family had, in a statement, termed the I-T department's chargesheet "baseless allegations" as the overseas investments in question were duly reflected in the tax returns filed by them.

"In this case, the parallels are hard to miss. Therefore, I am wondering if the Congress president – who himself is also out on bail in a financial matter – will comment and tell people if he is going to investigate one of his senior leaders (Chidambaram) for not disclosing assets held abroad," Nirmala said.

BJP president Amit Shah claimed that Chidambaram's case had prompted the then UPA government to virtually ignore the Supreme Court directive on setting up a SIT to probe black money.

"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," Shah tweeted.