Chinese visa case: Congress MP Karti Chidambaram appears before ED, calls it 'futile exercise'

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram on Tuesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to the issuance of Chinese visas. Speaking to reporters after appearing before the central agency, Karti called it a 'futile exercise', referring to his previous rounds of questioning in connection with the case.

"These are routine drills with the (Lok Sabha) elections now approaching. There's not much else to it. I have answered many summonses before. This was just a repeat of what I had already done before. It's a futile exercise," the Congress MP said.

MP Chidambaram last appeared before the ED for questioning in the case on December 23, last year. The Congress leader is alleged to have received Rs 50 lakh to illegally facilitate visas for 263 China nationals to complete work on a power project in Punjab.

The central agency filed a money laundering case in the Chinese visa 'scam' case in May last year. The CBI alleged that the MP 'misused his influence' in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in 2011 and 'conspired' with the co-accused to devise a "back-door way to defeat the purpose of the ceiling" on work permits imposed by the ministry.

Besides the MP, the CBI also booked four other people, including Karti's chartered accountant S. Bhaskararaman, Vikas Makharia, a representative of Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd, a Mansa-based private company, and Bell Tools, Mumbai along with 'unknown public servants and private individuals.