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Chinese visa case: Charges framed against Karti Chidambaram, trial to begin January 16

The CBI alleged that Karti had played a role in facilitating visas for around 250 Chinese nationals by using his influence, in return for Rs 50 lakh.

Chinese visa case: Charges framed against Karti, trial to begin Jan 16Congress MP Karti Chidambaram. (PTI)

A Delhi court Tuesday framed charges against Congress MP Karti Chidambaram in the Chinese visa “scam” case in which he is accused of demanding and accepting Rs 50 lakh bribe for facilitating visas for around 250 Chinese nationals.

Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh of the Rouse Avenue Court, who framed charges against Karti and six others, relied primarily on the statements of an approver in the case.

The CBI alleged that Karti had played a role in facilitating visas for around 250 Chinese nationals by using his influence, in return for Rs 50 lakh.

These visas were allegedly expedited during 2011 when the Chinese workers were required for projects linked to Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL). TSPL had paid Rs 50 lakh to Bell Tools Limited, which allegedly transferred the money to Bhaskararaman, who was “acting” as an aide to Karti. The trial will begin on January 16 next year as Karti has pleaded not guilty.

Nirbhay Thakur is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express who primarily covers district courts in Delhi and has reported on the trials of many high-profile cases since 2023. Professional Background Education: Nirbhay is an economics graduate from Delhi University. Beats: His reporting spans the trial courts, and he occasionally interviews ambassadors and has a keen interest in doing data stories. Specializations: He has a specific interest in data stories related to courts. Core Strength: Nirbhay is known for tracking long-running legal sagas and providing meticulous updates on high-profile criminal trials. Recent notable articles In 2025, he has written long form articles and two investigations. Along with breaking many court stories, he has also done various exclusive stories. 1) A long form on Surender Koli, accused in the Nithari serial killings of 2006. He was acquitted after spending 2 decades in jail. was a branded man. Deemed the “cannibal" who allegedly lured children to his employer’s house in Noida, murdered them, and “ate their flesh” – his actions cited were cited as evidence of human depravity at its worst. However, the SC acquitted him finding various lapses in the investigation. The Indian Express spoke to his lawyers and traced the 2 decades journey.  2) For decades, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been at the forefront of the Government’s national rankings, placed at No. 2 over the past two years alone. It has also been the crucible of campus activism, its protests often spilling into national debates, its student leaders going on to become the faces and voices of political parties of all hues and thoughts. The Indian Express looked at all court cases spanning over two decades and did an investigation. 3) Investigation on the 700 Delhi riots cases. The Indian Express found that in 17 of 93 acquittals (which amounted to 85% of the decided cases) in Delhi riots cases, courts red-flag ‘fabricated’ evidence and pulled up the police. Signature Style Nirbhay’s writing is characterized by its procedural depth. He excels at summarizing 400-page chargesheets and complex court orders into digestible news for the general public. X (Twitter): @Nirbhaya99 ... Read More

 

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