E-Paper
Chinese visas case: Delhi court issues summons to Karti Chidambaram
ED had filed its first charge sheet in the case naming Chidambaram as an accused under sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act
A Delhi court on Tuesday issued summons to Congress MP Karti Chidambaram after taking cognizance of the charge sheet filed against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a case related to the issuance of Chinese visas.
ED had filed its first charge sheet in the case naming Chidambaram as an accused under sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Special judge MK Nagpal has issued summons to all the accused in the case and ordered them to appear before the court on April 5.
ED had in its charge sheet filed on January 25 also named four others, including the Congress MP’s close aide S Bhaskararaman, along with Padam Dugar, Vikas Makharia and Mansoor Siddiqui.
The charge sheet also named three companies – Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Ltd., Dugar Housing Limited and M/s Talwandi Sabo Private Limited (TSPL).
Chidambaram had earlier moved an anticipatory bail plea before the trial court, but that was dismissed in June 2022. He then challenged the order before the Delhi high court, which is still pending.
ED’s case stems from an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in May 2022, wherein it alleged that Chidambaram and his aide received ₹50 lakhs from TSPL for reissuance of visas to Chinese nationals in 2011. TSPL had sought reissuance of project visas for 263 Chinese nationals back then for setting up a power project
This is the third case registered by the ED against Chidambaram after the INX Media case and the Aircel Maxis case.
