Chinese visa scam: Delhi court denies anticipatory bail to Karti Chidambaram

A Delhi court Friday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of Congress MP Karti Chidambaram in a case registered by the Enforcement Directorate in the alleged Chinese visas scam. Special Judge MK Nagpal denied relief to Karti, saying there was not enough ground to allow his application. The ED recently registered the money-laundering case against Karti and others in the alleged scam pertaining to the issuance of a visa to 263 Chinese nationals in 2011 when his father P Chidambaram was the home minister. The federal agency has filed its case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) taking cognisance of a recent first information report by the CBI in the same case. The case The CBI had registered an FIR on 14 May against Karti and others over allegations of a Rs 50-lakh bribe being paid to him and his close associate S Bhaskararaman by a top executive of Vedanta group company Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL) for re-issuance of Project Visa for 263 Chinese workers, the CBI FIR said. TSPL was setting up a power plant in Punjab. Projects visas were a special type of visas introduced in 2010 for the power and steel sector, detailed guidelines for which were issued during P Chidambaram’s tenure as Union home minister. However, there was no provision for re-issue of project visas, the FIR has alleged. The agency has already arrested Bhaskararaman in connection with the case. The FIR has stated that the work for setting up the power project was being executed by a Chinese company and was running behind schedule. A TSPL executive had sought re-issuance of project visa for the Chinese workers for which Rs 50 lakh allegedly exchanged hands, according to the FIR. With input from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.