The Income Tax Department and Directorate of Enforcement are reportedly raiding firms linked to Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Minister of Finance P. Chibambaram, in Chennai.

According to reports, offices of Vasan Eye Care, a popular hospital chain based in the city, and the offices of Advantage Strategic Limited are also being raided. Earlier, RSS ideologue and Chennai based chartered accountant S Gurumurthy had alleged that Karti had used firms to launder black money using the Vasan Eye Care hospital chain.

In the expose by S Gurumurthy in The New Indian Express, it was alleged that Chidambaram received black money via healthcare-chain Vasan Eye Care, which he and his son owned through benami companies. You can read his article here.

Reacting to the raids, P Chidambaram told the media that if the government wants to target him, it should do so directly. He also said that he is ready to face the 'malicious onslaught' launched by government against his family.

He said, "We have made it clear, repeatedly, that no member of my family has any equity or economic interest in any of the firms that are being targeted.”

He further added, "They are companies that are professionally managed and are capable of answering any questions that may be put to them by the authorities. I condemn the attempt to link them to my son and harass them on that ground."

He further alleged that, "We have made it clear, repeatedly, that no member of my family has any equity or economic interest in any of the firms that are being targeted. They are companies that are professionally managed and are capable of answering any questions that may be put to them by the authorities. I condemn the attempt to link them to my son and harass them on that ground."