JOIN USCBI arrests S Bhaskararaman, close associate of Karti Chidambaram, in Rs 50 lakh bribery case
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested S Bhaskararaman, auditor and a close aide of Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, in connection with the alleged gratification of Rs 50 lakh to help get visa for 263 Chinese nationals to work in a project in Punjab in 2011.
Bhaskararaman, who was named as accused no. 1 in the FIR filed by the CBI on Tuesday, was picked up in the early hours of Wednesday, sources said. He was later taken to New Delhi following a court order.
Karti, who is also accused in the case, is likely to be summoned for questioning by the CBI in the next couple of days. The arrest came a day after the CBI conducted searches at nine premises linked to Karti, Lok Sabha MP from Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu.
The FIR alleges the Talwandi Sabo power project in Punjab needed additional manpower from China as the thermal power plant was being installed by a Chinese company and it was running behind schedule. However, the firm could not bring enough people due to a ceiling on allowing work permits of foreign nationals.
Talwandi Sabo Power Limited, a Vedanta company, approached Karti’s aide Bhaskararaman for the visas. Vikas Makharia of TSPL submitted a request on July 30, 2011, to the Ministry of Home Affairs (Foreigners Division) seeking permission to re-use the Project VISAs already issued to the company.
Bhaskararaman asked Makharia, according to the FIR, to forward a copy of the letter to Karti after which an illegal gratification of Rs 50 lakh was asked for the approval. The FIR also states Karti discussed the issue with Chidambaram, the then Home Minister.
The FIR adds that Rs 50 lakh was paid by TSPL through Bell Tools Limited which raised “two false invoices” on TSPL for consultancy services and for out of pocket expenses incurred for re-use of Project VISAs.
“…there is reason to believe that the then Home Secretary and Home Minister were in the knowledge of the matter… but it is not ascertained at this stage whether, P Chidambaram, the then Home Minister and the then Home Secretary were in the knowledge of afore-said demand and payment of illegal gratification or not,” it adds.
This is the sixth time that law enforcement agencies under the Union Government are raiding Karti – he was arrested by the CBI in February 2018 in connection with the INX money laundering case. Karti’s father Chidambaram was also arrested in the case.