Chinese Visa Scam: Delhi Court Frames Charges Against Karti Chidambaram

Special Judge (CBI) Dig Vinay Singh of Rouse Avenue Court directed that charges be framed against seven accused for the offence of criminal conspiracy, while discharging one accused, Chetan Shrivastava, from the case.

The detailed order is awaited.

The order, dated December 23, was passed in a case arising out of allegations that bribes were paid to facilitate the grant of visas to Chinese nationals employed by a power company in 2011. The alleged acts took place during the tenure of Karti Chidambaram’s father, P. Chidambaram, as the Union Home Minister.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had filed its chargesheet in October 2024, naming Karti Chidambaram and others for their alleged role in irregularly securing visas for Chinese nationals in exchange for illegal gratification.

With the framing of charges, the case will now proceed to the trial stage.

Notably, in 2022, the Court had had previously rejected Chidambaram's anticipatory bail application, along with the others accused in the case. The Special Judge while dismissing the bail application had observed: "The nature and gravity of the alleged offences, the nascent stage of investigation and also the previous criminal antecedents of the accused Karti P Chidambaram and S Bhaskararaman do not make it out a case for grant of anticipatory bail to the applicants or for any further interim protection to them for joining of the investigation of this case as it will seriously hamper the process and progress of investigation.”

Project Visas are a special type of visas introduced in 2010 for the power and steel sector. Detailed guidelines for the same were issued during P Chidambaram's tenure as Union Home Minister. However, there was no provision for re-issuance of the said visas.