Chinese visa case: Delhi court grants interim bail to three accused

A Delhi court on Friday, 5 April, granted interim bail to three accused in a money laundering case linked to an alleged Chinese visa scam also involving Congress MP Karti Chidambaram.

Special judge for ED and CBI cases Kaveri Baweja granted the relief to Karti Chidambaram’s former chartered accountant S Bhaskararaman, besides Vikas Makharia and Mansoor Siddiqi on personal bonds of Rs 1 lakh each, after the Enforcement Directorate sought time for filing replies to their regular bail applications.

The court had issued summonses to them while taking cognisance of a charge sheet filed by the ED.

Karti Chidambaram, who was earlier granted interim protection by the Delhi High Court, appeared through video conferencing.

“Bail applications have been moved on behalf of S Bhaskararaman, Vikas Makharia and Mansoor Siddiqi... Considering the submissions made, ED is permitted to file reply to the bail applications moved on behalf of above named accused today... In the light of the directions issued by the Hon’ble Apex Court in the case of Satender Kumar Antil (Supra) and considering the fact that three accused were not arrested in the course of investigation, they are admitted to bail till the next date of hearing/disposal of their regular bail applications filed in the course of proceedings today,” the judge said.

The judge posted the matter for 2 May for further hearing.

The ED has registered a money laundering case against Karti Chidambaram and other accused in the alleged scam pertaining to issuance of visa to 263 Chinese nationals in 2011 when his father P Chidambaram was the Union home minister.

The ED said the actual magnitude or volume of the processed or laundered money was yet to be established and the alleged payment of Rs 50 lakh bribe, as mentioned in the CBl case, cannot be considered as the basis of the present case.

The ED registered its case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following an FIR lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the same case.