Chinese visa scam case: Delhi Court summons Karti Chidambaram and others, takes cognizance on ED's chargesheet
Mar 19, 2024
New Delhi [India], March 19 : The Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday issued a summons to Congress leader Karti Chidambaram and the other seven accused in a money laundering case connected with the Chinese visa case.
The Special Judge, MK Nagpal, issued a summons on Tuesday, taking cognizance of ED's chargesheet and directed all the accused to appear before the court on April 5, 2024.
The Enforcement Directorate has recently filed a prosecution complaint naming Karti Chidambaram, S Bhaskararaman and several others, including several firm's names, as accused.
In the case, Karti Chidambaram had earlier moved an anticipatory bail in Delhi High Court, where ASG SV Raju appeared for the Enforcement Directorate and orally assured the court that no coercive action would be taken until the matter was pending.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal had argued there was no material against the accused. No money laundering case is made out, as there are no allegations that any money was given to Karti Chidambaram. If there is no money, it cannot be laundered. Still, they registered the ECIR. The accused has joined the investigation and is cooperating in it.
Senior Advocate Sibal also argued that the alleged transaction is from 2011 and they registered the case for 2022.
There is apprehension of arrest as they registered the ECIR within ten days of the registration of the FIR by the CBI. I am named in that ECIR; they can arrest me anytime without even calling me or giving me notice.
"In the CBI case, I have been given 72 hours' notice before arrest. So that I can approach the court," Sibal argued.
Earlier, he had argued that the value of the alleged transaction was Rs 50 lakh, which is less than one crore. In view of this fact, he should be granted bail.
On the other hand, ASG S V Raju submitted that the bail application is premature as there is no material we have in this case. We will investigate the case. Still, they have apprehension of arrest, why do they have so. If no case is made against them, then why do they have apprehension.
He argued that this application is premature, as no summons was issued, only an ECIR was registered. Therefore, the apprehension of arrest is not genuine.
On June 3, 2022, CBI judge MK Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court dismissed all three applications moved by Karti Chidambaram, S. Bhaskararaman and Vikas Makharia.
