Terming allegations against him as preposterous, former finance minister P Chidambaram on Thursday said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been pressured to file a charge sheet against him and other officers with a sterling reputation, in the Aircel Maxis deal case.

“CBI has been pressured to file a charge sheet to support a preposterous allegation against me and officers with a sterling reputation,” Chidambaram said.

The matter which is before a special court, will be contested vigorously, he added.

The CBI on Thursday filed a supplementary charge sheet against Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram, naming them accused in the Aircel Maxis deal case.

The charge sheet was filed before special CBI judge O P Saini who has fixed July 31 for considering the document.

The senior Congress leader’s role had come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Aircel-Maxis deal of Rs 3,500 crore and INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore.

It was during his tenure as the finance minister in the UPA-I government that clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) was granted to the two ventures in which alleged irregularities have been found.

Earlier on July 11, Chidambaram had accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of a witch-hunt in the Aircel-Maxis case since there was no FIR in the matter.

“In the Aircel-Maxis case, there is no FIR mentioning a scheduled offence and no public servant has been named. The ED is on a witch-hunt and the allegations will be answered in court,” the former Union Finance Minister had tweeted.

CBI has been pressured to file a charge sheet to support a preposterous allegation against me and officers with a sterling reputation. The case is now before the Hon’ble Court and it will be contested vigorously. I shall make no more public comment.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) July 19, 2018

A special court here on Tuesday extended till August 7 the interim protection from arrest granted to P. Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis deal case.

However, Special Judge O.P. Saini had directed Chidambaram to join investigations, whenever required.