I have asked my family to tweet this on my behalf: ED has been peddling the theory of multiple properties/accounts for the last 3 years. — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) 1575009953000

In 16 days of interrogation, ED did not put to me a single property document or account. Nor was I put the question… https://t.co/Y5O5VEa22V — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) 1575009954000

NEW DELHI: Former finance minister P Chidambaram has rubbished the Enforcement Directorate 's claims that the agency has details of 12 bank accounts linked to him as well as an equal number of properties in 16 countries. His family posted a tweet from his personal account today in which he said "ED has been peddling the theory of multiple properties/accounts for the last 3 years."The former Union finance minister also said that "in 16 days of interrogation, ED did not put to me a single property document or account. Nor was I put the question Are you the owner of or connected with this property or account?”The ED had earlier on Thursday filed a probe report in the Supreme Court in a sealed cover with details of 12 bank accounts .and purchase of an equal number of properties in 16 countries, allegedly from proceeds of crimes. This followed a public dare by Chidambaram to the agency to produce even one piece of evidence linking him to the INX media case .Opposing the bail plea of the senior Congress leader, who completed 100 days in custody, the agency told a bench of Justices R Banumathi, AS Bopanna and Hrishekesh Roy that Chidambaram is too powerful and influential to be released on bail.The agency said Chidambaram was not just a "bystander" during the alleged crimes. Economic offences , said the agency, are grave offenses that affect society, country and national economy and shake the confidence of the common man in the entire system when people in office indulge in corrupt activities. It argued that such offences are committed with deliberation and not on the heat of the moment."In this case a web of shell companies were set up in India and abroad by people who were acting as his agents. He was not just a bystander when the offence was being committed," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta contended, adding that Chidambaram continues to influence witnesses even fromjail as three key witnesses refused to appear for face-to-face "confrontation" with him. Countering Chidambaram's plea that he is not a hardened criminal and should not be treated as "Ranga or Billa", Mehta said economic offences are the gravest crime and must be dealt with sternly.Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and AM Singhvi, however, said baseless allegations are levelled against the former minister to malign his image. They said the three witnesses had given statement in 2018 but they were never called for face-to face confrontation and it was done only now when the bail plea was filed. At the end of hearing, ED pleaded SC to allow it to file its probe report in sealed envelope . Allowing its plea, the bench said it would peruse the report, if required, and reserved its order on the bail plea.