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Under attack over recent CBI raid at DMK leader M K Stalin's house in Chennai, government today said the agency's action was not "targeted" at any individual though its timing was "wrong".
Union Minister V Narayanasamy said the case related to illegal import of cars by a businessman was being investigated by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and it was found that one of its officers was in collusion with him.
"He (DRI officer) was not doing anything for two years. The case was transferred to CBI two months back. CBI after finding a prima facie case filed an FIR.
"They started investigation and in 19 places they raided. 17 cars they recovered. It is not a single individual. 19 places in the whole of Chennai they raided and recovered 17 cars. How do you say that it is targeted against that gentleman (Stalin)?," Narayanasamy told reporters during National Editors' Conference being held at Vigyan Bhawan here.
He said that along with him, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram have said that the timing of the raid was wrong. "It will be taken (in a different way) by the people," the Minister said.
Narayanasamy denied reports that he was summoned by Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi on the matter.
"Madam Gandhi did not call me. Nobody can call me and tell me about CBI investigations.... The investigation process is entirely in the domain of CBI. I can only consider promotion, transfer of CBI. That's all I can see," he said.
Narayanasamy, who is minister-incharge of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions which acts as administrative department for CBI, said if the government was interfering in the functioning of the agency, many ministers and officers would have not gone to jail.
Within two days of DMK withdrawing support to the Congress led UPA government at the Centre, a CBI team had on March 21 conducted searches at various places including Stalin's house in Chennai in connection with its probe in the illegal cars smuggling case which had evoked sharp reaction from various quarters disapproving of the agency's action.
The CBI had registered a case under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) including criminal conspiracy, forgery, cheating and abuse of official position against businessman Joseph and DRI official Muruganandan besides other unknown persons.
The agency has so far recovered 33 cars and further investigations are on.
