NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday registered a contemporary case in opposition to Karti Chidambaram, son of former union minister P. Chidambaram, over allegations of bribery. Karti Chidambaram is accused of taking ₹50 lakh in unlawful gratification for facilitating visas for round 260 Chinese language nationals to work in a venture in Punjab.
CBI groups performed search operations at 10 areas throughout a number of cities within the nation, together with residences of the father-son duo in Chennai and Delhi on Tuesday after registering an FIR within the matter.
“I’ve misplaced depend; what number of occasions has it been. Have to be a report,” Karti Chidambaram mentioned on Twitter, referring to the raids.
The case was earlier a preliminary inquiry, which has now been transformed into an FIR. The case has been registered in opposition to six entities together with two corporations, Karti Chidambaram and chartered accountant, S Bhaskararaman.
In a press assertion CBI mentioned that an organization based mostly at Mansa, Punjab, was within the course of of building a 1980 MW thermal energy plant, the organising of which was outsourced to a Chinese language firm. The thermal plant in query belongs Talwandi Sabo Energy Ltd, which is a Vedanta group firm.
An e mail question despatched to the corporate was not answered instantly.
“It has been additional alleged that the venture was operating behind its schedule. With a view to keep away from penal actions for the delay, the mentioned non-public firm of Mansa was making an attempt to convey increasingly Chinese language individuals/professionals for his or her web site at district Mansa (Punjab) and wanted Undertaking VISAs over & above the ceiling imposed by Ministry of Residence Affairs,” mentioned CBI within the press assertion.
“The searches at our Punjab facility have been half of a bigger CBI investigation. We’re extending full cooperation to the authorities and facilitating the due course of. Now we have no additional feedback,” mentioned TSPL spokesperson.
CBI alleged that the corporate then approached Karti Chidambaram via an aide to plot a solution to bypass the ceiling of most venture visas allowed.
“This was completed by granting permission to re-use 263 venture visas allotted to the mentioned Chinese language firm’s officers,” mentioned CBI.
The corporate then submitted a letter to Ministry of Residence Affairs looking for approval to re-use the venture visas allotted to this firm, which was authorized inside a month and permission was issued to the corporate, the CBI mentioned.
A bribe of ₹50 Lakh was allegedly demanded and which was paid by the mentioned Mansa based mostly non-public firm, the company added.