Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court has granted "regular bail" to Congress leader Karti P Chidambaram in the money laundering case related to the Chinese visa scam, as reported by ANI on June 6. In April, Justice Kaveri Baweja, the Special Judge for Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) cases, had granted interim bail to three accused in the case, including Chidambaram's former chartered accountant S Bhaskararaman, Vikas Makharia, and Mansoor Siddiqi, on personal bonds of Rs 1 lakh each, according to PTI.
Case background
The money laundering case involved Karti Chidambaram and other accused in an alleged scam concerning the issuance of visas to 263 Chinese nationals in 2011, during his father and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's tenure as Union Home Minister.
Legal proceedings
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following an FIR filed by the CBI in the same matter. The exact amount of laundered money is yet to be determined, with the alleged bribe payment of Rs 50 lakh, mentioned in the CBI case, not considered the basis of the present case.
Electoral victory amid legal proceedings
Amid legal proceedings, Karti Chidambaram emerged victorious in the Sivaganga Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu during the recent General Elections. He defeated AIADMK's Xavierdass by a significant margin of 2,05,664 votes.
Reaction to electoral win
Following his victory, Karti Chidambaram emphasised the rejection of the BJP's Hindutva politics by the people of Tamil Nadu. He attributed the triumph to the people's preference for a federal, secular, and inclusive government, as highlighted by the results favoring the I.N.D.I.A alliance led by Chief Minister MK Stalin.
