Visa case: CBI searches Karti’s Chennai house

CHENNAI: Sleuths from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday conducted searches at the residence of former Union Minister, P Chidambaram’s son and Congress MP, Karti Chidambaram in Nungambakkam, in connection with the ‘visa for bribe’ case.

Karti was not at home when the searches happened and he is said to be abroad. On May 17, the CBI had arrested a chartered accountant and alleged close aide of the Congress MP, S Bhaskararaman, in connection with the case.

According to sources, Saturday’s search operation was related to examining the contents of a cupboard, keys of which were not available during the earlier search. The search which began at 2 pm lasted for more than four hours. While the CBI did not make any official statement, advocate G Sarath babu issued a statement on behalf of the Congress MP.

“When CBI searched the residence on May 17, they found nothing. There was one cupboard in the residence that was locked and the owner was abroad. It was opened today and there were only clothes. The CBI found nothing and seized nothing,” the statement said.

However, the CBI has illegally seized a laptop and an iPad belonging to Karti’s daughter that contains her academic work. “We have strongly protested the action and will move the courts against the illegal seizure,” the statement added.