Karti Chidambaram gets ED summons in a case of money laundering

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram has refrained from appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with a money laundering probe linked to alleged irregularities in the issuance of visas to 263 Chinese nationals in 2011.

He dubbed the case as “most bogus.” The legislator, summoned by the ED to appear in New Delhi, cited his engagement with the ongoing Parliament session for not deposing.

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The 2022 ED case involves allegations of ₹50 lakh in kickbacks paid to Karti and his close associate S Bhaskararaman by a top executive of Vedanta group company Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd. (TSPL) for setting up a power plant in Punjab, as per the CBI FIR that prompted the money laundering investigation.

Karti dismissed the case as “most bogus” and stated that his legal team would handle it.

Last year, the CBI had conducted raids on the Chidambaram family’s premises, arrested Bhaskararaman, and questioned Karti. The CBI charges involve the re-issuance of project visas for Chinese workers associated with the power project, with alleged kickbacks exchanged.

Karti has maintained that the case is an attempt to target his father, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, through him. This is the third money laundering case against Karti, with the INX Media and Aircel-Maxis cases also under investigation by the ED.