Timing of CBI raid unfortunate: PM

New Delhi, Mar 21 (IANS): The timing of the CBI raid on DMK leader M.K. Stalin was "unfortunate" and the government had "no role in it", an upset Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Thursday.

"We are all very upset (at these events). The timing of this is unfortunate. The government had no role in this that I am sure of. We will find out the details," the prime minister told reporters.

Later, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) V. Narayansamy said neither the government nor the Congress had an axe to grind against the DMK, which quit the ruling United Progressive Alliance Tuesday.

"There is no politics involved (behind the CBI raids). We will examine it. The CBI is an independent body," Narayanasamy told reporters.

Angry DMK members did not allow the parliament to function over the raids in Chennai early Thursday.

Stalin is the son of DMK chief M. Karunanidhi.

CBI raid on Stalin's residence got over, not called off: Official
 
The CBI early Thursday raided the residence of M.K. Stalin, son of DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, triggering a political storm.

In New Delhi, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said he strongly disapproved of the CBI raid leading to reports that it had been called off.

However, a state intelligence official told IANS that the search had "got over and was not called off".

Raid on Stalin - BJP says Congress misusing CBI; Chidambaram disapproves action

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday accused the Congress-led UPA of misusing the CBI to threaten its allies into forcibly supporting them.

"It is a proven fact that the government (UPA), to stay in power, has been using the CBI to continue their strength in the government," BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy told news channel Times Now.

"When the alliance partners are leaving them, they are using their authority against them. It is a sharp message to the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party that if you leave the Congress party, you will meet the same fate. So, it a veiled threat," he added.

Party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the "government was surviving in power on the crutches of the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate".

Officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Thursday carried out a search at the residence of M.K. Stalin, son of DMK chief M.K. Karunanidhi, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

The search comes two days after the DMK announced its decision to pull out of the central government and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), dissatisfied with the centre's stand on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

The Samajwadi Party, whose support to the UPA government has become crucial after the DMK's exit from the coalition, has been playing hard with the government and seeking Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma's resignation after he publicly rebuked Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Strongly disapprove of CBI's action against Stalin: Chidambaram

The CBI move to search the residence of M.K. Stalin, son of DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, was "bound to be misunderstood", Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said Thursday while expressing his "strong" disapproval of the action.

"Normally I do not comment on the working of another department (home ministry), but in this case I have to say that I strongly disapprove of the CBI's action. It is bound to be misunderstood," Chidambaram said.

"I have conveyed my views to the minister in charge and I suggest you put further questions to the minister in charge," he added.

Sushilkumar Shinde is union home minister.

Earlier Update

CBI raids Stalin's house

Chennai, Mar 21 (IANS): Officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are carrying out a search at the residence of M.K. Stalin, son of DMK chief M.K. Karunanidhi, Thursday.

Curiously, the search comes two days after the DMK announced its decision to pull out of the central government and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), dissatisfied with the centre's stand on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

The raid at Stalin's house began around 6 a.m. CBI officials here are tightlipped about the details of the case.

It is reliably learnt that the CBI registered the case in New Delhi and the raids are in connection with the import of cars and payment of customs duties.

The CBI also raided Stalin's friend Raja Shankar's house here in this connection.

Reacting to the raids, Stalin told reporters that it was mere political vendetta, and he would face all the legal cases.

Stalin is the third person in his family to be questioned by the CBI.

In 2011, the CBI questioned Stalin's mother Dayalu Ammal and sister Kanimozhi.

Kanimozhi and Dayalu Ammal were questioned in connection with the flow of over Rs.200 crore from Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Balwa's DB Realty firm to Kalaignar TV, a regional Tamil channel in which Karunanidhi's family members allegedly have majority stake.

Later Kanimozhi was charged as co-conspirator in the 2G scam with former telecom minister A.Raja, and lodged in Tihar jail. She is now out on bail.