While granting interim relief from arrest to the Congress MP, Special Judge MK Nagpal issued notice to the law enforcement agency
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram. ANI
A Delhi court on Thursday granted interim protection from arrest to Congress MP Karti Chidambaram in the case registered by the Enforcement Directorate over allegations of money laundering in allotting Chinese visas.
While granting interim relief from arrest to the son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, Special Judge MK Nagpal issued notice to the law enforcement agency, Bar and Bench reported.
The matter will next be heard on 30 May.
Karti learnt from media reports that an enforcement case information report had been registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate based on the case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation, as per the anticipatory bail plea.
Earlier, the CBI registered a case after a search and seizure inquiry was conducted at the residence of P Chidambaram on 14 May. It has been alleged that Karti was facilitating visas of 250 Chinese nationals after receiving illegal gratification of Rs 50 lakh.
“Applicant apprehends that the respondent ED will arrest him and curtail his liberty. The basis for the aforesaid apprehension is the manner and haste with which the ECIR appears to have been registered against the applicant, without there even being an allegation in the alleged scheduled offence that the applicant has received any illegal gratification/ proceeds of crime, which the applicant could have allegedly laundered,” the plea in ED’s case contended.
The court, earlier n 20 May, had directed Karti Chidambaram to join and cooperate with the CBI investigation within 16 hours of his return to India.
According to the Bar and Bench report, the allegations in the CBI’s FIR were that Talwandi Sabo Power Limited had paid an amount of Rs 50 lakh to Bell Tools Limited which in turn relayed it to S Bhaskararaman as gratification for the Chinese visas. However, the Congress MP stated that nothing incriminating was found and no incriminating material was seized during the said search proceedings.
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