Money laundering case: Karti Chidambaram's anticipatory bail plea adjourned
New Delhi [India], June 6: The Delhi High Court adjourned the hearing on the anticipatory bail of Karti Chidambaram on the joint request of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Karti till Wednesday.
The matter was listed before the vacation bench of Justice Poonam Bamba. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal and Additional Solicitor General (ADG) S V Raju appeared for Karti and ED respectively.
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Congress MP Karti Chidambaram has moved a petition seeking anticipatory bail in the money laundering case connected with the alleged Chinese visa scam.
He has challenged the trial court order denying him anticipatory bail in the matter. The court had also dismissed the plea for seeking interim protection to approach the High court for anticipatory bail.
The plea moved by the Congress leader has been listed for Monday for hearing before Justice Poonam A Bamba.
CBI judge M K Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court on Friday had dismissed all three applications moved by Karti Chidambaram, S. Bhaskararaman and Vikas Makharia.
The Court had dismissed the bail plea in view of the past involvement of Karti Chidambaram and S. Bhaskararaman in INX Media and Aircel Maxis cases.
The court also agreed to the argument of Additional Solicitor General (ASG) that investigation is at the nascent stage and the quantum of the alleged laundered amount may be more than 50 lakhs.
The Special Judge had observed in the order, "This court is of the considered opinion that even while keeping aside the issue of applicability of bar and twin condition of Section 45 of PMLA, the nature and gravity of the alleged offences, the nascent stage of investigation and also previous criminal antecedents of accused Kati Chidambaram and S. Bhaskar Raman do not make it out a case for grant of anticipatory bail to applicants or any further protection for them to join the investigation of this case as it will seriously hamper the process and investigation."
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a money laundering case in alleged Chinese visa scam involving Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, officials said on Wednesday.
The ED has filed a case under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, taking cognisance of a recent First Information Report registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the case, said the officials.
It is alleged that Karti received illegal gratification of Rs 50 lakh to illegally facilitate visas for 263 Chinese nationals to complete a power project in Punjab.
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Earlier, on May 17, CBI arrested S. Bhaskarraman in the alleged visa scam.
-PTC News
