The ED is focusing on a total of47 locations in Tamil Nadu in connection with the Chinese visa scam that involves Karti Chidambaram.
Published Aug 05, 2022 | 3:01 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 05, 2022 | 3:59 PM
Search is underway at these locations in link to the Chinese visa scam, in which the ED accused Congress’ Sivaganga MP Karti P Chidambaram. (karti.chidambaram/Facebook)
Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths put six locations in Chennai under the scanner as part of a countrywide operation in regard to the 2011 scam in which Karti P Chidambaram stands accused of taking bribes to facilitate the issuing of visas to 263 Chinese nationals, agency sources confirmed to South First.
The ED also put 41 other places in Tamil Nadu under its scanner as part of the operation.
Searches are underway at all these locations in the state, the ED has confirmed.
The CBI in May this year accused the MP from the Sivaganga constituency of taking ₹50 lakh in illegal gratification for issuing visas to the aforementioned Chinese nationals, and registered a fresh case against him.
The probe agency in 2011 had already raided more than 10 locations belonging to him and his father P Chidambaram, the then union minister, across the country.
The fresh case pertains to allegations of the money being paid as kickbacks to Karti and his close associate S Bhaskararaman by a top executive of the Vedanta Group company Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL), which was setting up a power plant in Punjab, as per the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Indian Express reported.
“I have lost count, how many times has it been? Must be a record [sic],” Karti Chidambaram tweeted after the case was registered.
I have lost count, how many times has it been? Must be a record.
— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) May 17, 2022
The ED took cognizance of the FIR by the CBI and registered a case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
However, during the investigation, the ED had said the amount laundered in the scam by Karti Chidambaram was yet to be determined by them, adding that the bribe amount of ₹50 lakh in the case could not be taken or considered as the basis of the present case.
Karti Chidambaram denied the allegations and told reporters in May, “If this is not harassment, not a witch hunt, then what is?”
