Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi slams Congress for defending P Chidambaram

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi says investigation agencies are following protocol and the law must be allowed to take its own course.

New Delhi: Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has come out all guns blazing against Congress for defending P Chidambaram who was arrested on Wednesday night by CBI.

While Chidambaram has claimed that his arrest is political vendetta, Congress has rallied behind the former finance minister despite the serious charges against him. Naqvi, however, said that Congress is needlessly crying foul. "Congress is trying to gain political mileage from his (Chidambaram) arrest. Congress party has been synonymous with corruption," he said. "The investigation agencies are working as per protocol and political inferences should not be made. The law will take its course."

Chidambaram was arrested amid high drama on Wednesday night for his alleged role in the INX Media corruption and money laundering case. He had been untraceable for 25 hours before surfacing at the Congress headquarters in the evening. He held a brief press conference here, claimed innocence, and left for his Jor Bagh residence. Even here, he first did not allow CBI officials to enter but was eventually arrested and taken to the CBI headquarters.

The CBI is looking at getting 14 days' custody of Chidambaram and is learnt to have prepared a list with more than 100 questions for him. Once CBI completes questioning, the Enforcement Directorate will move in to arrest him.