New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday dubbed "vendetta" by the Narendra Modi government the searches conducted by the Enforcement Directorate on multiple premises linked to Karti, the son of former minister P. Chidambaram.

The searches in connection with the Aircel-Maxis case were conducted in Delhi and Chennai since early morning as part of investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Chidambaram issued a statement saying: "This morning the ED searched my residence in Delhi as well as my family's residence in Chennai. Nothing was found. The panchnamas speak for themselves."

The statement added: "Yesterday (Friday), the Supreme Court issued notices to the ED in cases where the submission is that the ED has no jurisdiction to conduct any investigation in the so-called Aircel-Maxis case.

"The ED was asked to file its reply and the cases were adjourned to 30 Jan 2018.

"There is no FIR against me or my son in the Aircel-Maxis case. There is no predicate scheduled offence. Hence the ED has no jurisdiction. Yet the ED, at the instance of the government, continues to misuse its powers. I belong to the Opposition party. Let the government misuse the ED. I shall neither bend nor break and I shall continue to speak and write."

Congress communications chief Randeep Surjewala also issued a statement saying: "Hurriedly conducted ED raids at the Delhi and Chennai residences of former finance minister Chidambaram have once again exposed the continuing vicious vendetta unleashed by the government against the Congress and other Opposition leaders.

"The stark truth is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government are using agencies like ED/CBI as captive puppets to settle political scores and intimidate political opponents. In fact, Raid Raj has become the DNA of the Modi government."