Chinese Visa Case News: ‘Strong suspicion’: Delhi court frames charges against Congress MP Karti Chidambaram in Chinese visa case
Karti Chidambaram Chinese Visa Scam Case: Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh of the Rouse Avenue Courts framed charges against Karti Chidambaram and six other accused in the case.
4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Dec 23, 2025 03:30 PM IST
Karti, whose father P Chidambaram was a Union Minister during the UPA era, spoke about the scene in a lighter vein during an ANI podcast and said that he was told he has a cameo there.
Karti Chidambaram Chinese Visa Scam Case: A Delhi court on Tuesday framed charges against Congress MP Karti Chidambaram in connection with the Chinese visa case stating that a prima facie case was made out against him for offences of criminal conspiracy and bribery of a public servant.
Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh of the Rouse Avenue Courts framed charges against Chidambaram and six other accused in the case.
Order
The 98-page order noted that the court “need not even determine whether the evidence” was sufficient to support a conviction.
“Those considerations will require attention once the evidence is recorded. At this stage, the court has to merely consider the broad probabilities, the total effect of the evidence and documents produced, any basic infirmities in the case, and so forth. However, this does not entitle the court to make a roving inquiry into the pros and cons,” it read.
Karti’s ‘role’
Referring to the alleged conspiracy between the accused persons, S Bhaskararaman and Chidambaram, the order noted that it “is evident, and the law does not require a conspirator to interact with every other conspirator, nor was the recovery or tracing of the bribe money up to Bhaskararaman necessary”.
“The defence arguments, including the claim that A-2 (Chidambaram) did not read the emails, or that there is no substantiated proof of the alleged meeting in Chennai or the telephonic call, do not help his case, as the strong suspicion is supported by the approver’s statements and the case against him is not based solely on email confirmation,” it read.
While framing charges against Chidambaram, the order stated, “The material establishes a strong suspicion against A-2, therefore his prayer for discharge is also rejected. Prima facie, sufficient material exists to frame charges against A-2 for criminal conspiracy, under Section 120B IPC, read with Section 204 IPC and Sections 8 & 9 of the PC Act, 1988. Substantive offences under Sections 8 & 9 (in alternative) of the PC Act, 1988, read with Section 120B IPC.”
Story continues below this ad
The charges were framed under Sections 8 (Offence relating to bribing of a public servant) and 9 (Offence relating to bribing a public servant by a commercial organisation) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1998 and Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC against the MP.
The court, however, discharged one of the accused, namely, Chetan Shrivastava, after finding insufficient material to proceed against him.
With the charges now being framed against Chidambaram, who was represented by senior advocate Sidharth Luthra and advocates Akshat Gupta and Arshdeep Singh Khurana, the case would proceed to the next stage of trial on January 16, 2026.
The case originated from allegations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that Chidambaram had played a role in facilitating visas for around 250 Chinese nationals by using his influence, in return for Rs 50 lakh.
Story continues below this ad
According to the CBI, the visas were allegedly expedited during 2011 when the Chinese workers were required for projects linked to Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL).
In its first information report (FIR), the CBI alleged that TSPL had paid Rs 50 lakh to Bell Tools Limited (BTL), which then transferred the money to one S Bhaskararaman.
The agency has claimed that Bhaskararaman was acting as an aide to Chidambaram and that the money was a bribe to secure the clearance of Chinese visas beyond the permitted limit and time frame.
The CBI has alleged that the transactions were part of a larger conspiracy to illegally influence public servants in the Ministry of Home Affairs to grant visas in violation of established norms.
Story continues below this ad
Chidambaram, however, has consistently denied the allegations. He has claimed that the CBI failed to recover any incriminating material against him during searches conducted at his premises and has termed the case politically motivated.
Vineet Upadhyay is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, where he leads specialized coverage of the Indian judicial system.
Expertise
Specialized Legal Authority: Vineet has spent the better part of his career analyzing the intricacies of the law. His expertise lies in "demystifying" judgments from the Supreme Court of India, various High Courts, and District Courts. His reporting covers a vast spectrum of legal issues, including:
Constitutional & Civil Rights: Reporting on landmark rulings regarding privacy, equality, and state accountability.
Criminal Justice & Enforcement: Detailed coverage of high-profile cases involving the Enforcement Directorate (ED), NIA, and POCSO matters.
Consumer Rights & Environmental Law: Authoritative pieces on medical negligence compensation, environmental protection (such as the "living person" status of rivers), and labor rights.
Over a Decade of Professional Experience: Prior to joining The Indian Express, he served as a Principal Correspondent/Legal Reporter for The Times of India and held significant roles at The New Indian Express. His tenure has seen him report from critical legal hubs, including Delhi and Uttarakhand. ... Read More
