CBI Gets 4-Day Remand of Karti Chidambaram's Close Associate in Bribery Case

Karti Chidambaram's associate S Bhaskararaman had been arrested by the CBI on Wednesday.

Karti Chidambaram. 

(Photo: PTI)

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday, 19 May, got four-day remand of one of MP Karti Chidambaram's close associates, named S Bhaskararaman, in connection with an alleged bribery case of Rs 50 lakh for clearing the visas of more than 250 Chinese citizens working at the Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL) in Punjab.

Bhaskararaman was arrested by the CBI in connection with the case on Wednesday after being questioned on Tuesday, PTI reported officials as saying.

The alleged incident dates back to 2011, when Karti's father and Congress leader P Chidambaram was the home minister.

The CBI said that Bhaskaraman was approached by the then vice president of TSPL, Vikas Makharia, for reissuing project visas of 263 Chinese workers to work at the power plant, which at the time was being set up, ANI reported.

The FIR Against Bhaskararaman

The First Information Report (FIR) stated that the investigating officer had alleged that Karti was approached by Makharia through the former's "front man" Bhaskararaman.

"They devised a back-door way to defeat the purpose of ceiling (maximum of project visas permissible to the company’s plant) by granting permission to reuse 263 project visas allotted to the said Chinese company’s officials," the CBI said.

Special project visas were introduced in 2010 for the power and steel sectors, for which guidelines were introduced during P Chidambaram's stint as home minister, but no provision regarding the re-issuing of visas was mentioned, the FIR added.

"As per prevalent guidelines, deviation in rare and exceptional cases could be considered and granted only with the approval of the Home Secretary. However, in view of the above circumstances, the deviation in terms of reuse of project visas is likely to be approved by the then Home Minister," the CBI said.

Makharia had allegedly written a letter to the Union Home Ministry in July 2011, in which he sought re-issuing of project visas given to his company. This was approved by the ministry in less than 30 days and permission for the same was issued, PTI reported officials as saying.

Allegation of Bribe

"On 17 August 2011, Makharia, on being directed by Bhaskararaman, sent a copy of the above letter dated 30 July 2011 to him through e-mail which was forwarded to Karti…Bhakaskararaman after discussion with P Chidambaram, the then home minister, demanded an illegal gratification of Rs 50 lakh for ensuring the approval," the FIR further said.

The FIR also alleged that the payment of the "bribe" was given to Karti and Bhaskararaman through a Mumbai-based under two invoices, included in out-of-pocket expenses for work related to Chinese visas.

Makharia had also sent Karti and Bhaskararaman an email to thank them, officials added.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)