Government Has No Holy Cows To Protect: Arun Jaitley On Aircel-Maxis Deal

New Delhi: The government is committed to "absolute probity" and any person found guilty in any scam will not be spared, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told the Lok Sabha this afternoon during a discussion on the Aircel-Maxis deal. "We have no holy cows who'll be spared," Mr Jaitley said.

AIADMK members have targeted former finance minister P Chidambaram's son Karti in connection with the deal, raising the matter in both houses of Parliament since yesterday after reports suggested the Congressman had made huge investments allegedly linked to pay-offs from the deal. Karti Chidambaram had issued a statement yesterday saying he and his business were "fully compliant with all laws and regulations", denying money laundering charges.

Mr Jaitley did not take names but did not mince words either. "We aren't influenced by the stand of the earlier government. Investigative agencies are free to take action against whoever is found guilty. An FIR has been filed, the case will go to trial," he said.

"Someone suggested that investigative agencies were going slow. That is incorrect. Chargesheets have been filed and the CBI is conducting its investigations. Law will take its own course and the guilty will face justice," the finance minister said.

AIADMK members earlier raised slogans like 'NDA sarkar take action' and displayed copies of a newspaper which reported that that Karti Chidambaram had allegedly invested in real estate in various countries, as per investigations by Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax authorities during searches at his premises.

Protesting against the Speaker's decision to allow discussion on the matter, Congress members rushed into the well of the house.