Karti Chidambaram named in fresh chargesheet in Chinese visa case
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a fresh chargesheet against Congress MP Karti Chidambaram in a money laundering case linked to providing visas to some Chinese nationals in 2011. CBI registered a case against Karti for providing visas to 264 Chinese nationals for the installation of a power project by Vedanta Group.
At that time Karti’s father P Chidambaram was Union Home Minister and Karti through his firm accepted Rs.50 lakh as kickback for providing visas to Chinese staffers for Vedanta group company Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL), which was setting up a power plant in Punjab, according to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR. Along with Karti, the Chidambaram family’s Chartered Accountant S Bhaskararaman also charge sheeted by ED.[1]
Delhi Court reserves order on ED’s charge sheet against Karti Chidambaram
The fast track court in Delhi has listed the matter for hearing on March 16. The probe pertains to allegations of Rs.50 lakh being paid as kickbacks to Karti Chidambaram and S Bhaskararaman by a top executive of Vedanta group company Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL), which was setting up a power plant in Punjab, according to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR. CBI also found that Karti’s other firm had accepted Rs.1.5 crore from Vedanta Group and shown this transaction as a loan.[2]
Interestingly, P Chidambaram was the Director of Anil Agarwal led Vedanta Group’s International Director till May 2004. He resigned from Vedanta Group after becoming Finance Minister of India in May 2004. Karti-linked shell firm Advantage Strategic Consulting received Rs.50 lakh as kickback from Vedanta Group’s power firm for getting 264 Visas for Chinese staffers in 2011, when Chidambaram was Union Home Minister.
Karti and his father Chidambaram are already listed as accused by CBI and ED of taking bribery in the Aircel-Maxis scam and INX-Media bribery case. ED had already attached many properties of the Chidambaram family in India and abroad worth more than Rs.54 crores (based on book value).[3]
Reference:
[1] CBI raids P Chidambaram & Karti for taking bribes from Vedanta Group for Chinese Visa for Punjab power project – May 17, 2022, PGurus.com
[2] Chidambaram family’s CA to 4-day CBI custody. Vedanta Group also gave Rs.1.5 crore as loan to Karti firm, says CBI – May 19, 2022, PGurus.com
[3] ED attaches Rs.54 crores worth assets of Karti Chidambaram in the INX Media bribery case – Oct 11, 2018, PGurus.com
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The father and the son are experts and probably very difficult to nail.