‘Bribe for visa’ case: Karti Chidambaram’s aide sent to 4-day CBI custody

Special Judge Prashant Kumar remanded Bhaskararaman in CBI custody noting that it would be appropriate as the “investigation has started in this case which is at its inception”, and that the investigating officer needed some time to collect all relevant information in this case.

Bhaskararaman was produced before the Delhi court on transit remand from Chennai, from where he was arrested on Wednesday.

The case was registered on the basis of a reference sent by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) way back in 2018. The CBI, however, initiated a preliminary enquiry (PE) only in March this year and registered an FIR on May 14.

The FIR, sources said, is based on allegations that Karti accepted a bribe of Rs 50 lakh from the Vedanta Group to facilitate visas for 300 Chinese nationals of a company working in collaboration with a Vedanta subsidiary for a power project in Punjab.

The CBI had sought Bhaskararaman’s custody for 14 days, alleging that he being the chartered accountant of Karti, had relevant information as well as various e-mails. These are required to be extracted from him for which the remand was required, it said.

Senior advocate Trideep Pais, appearing for the accused, opposed the remand application, saying Bhaskararaman was also arraigned as an accused in the INX Media case and was on regular bail in the matter, which was initiated by the ED, and was granted anticipatory bail in the matter by the CBI.

Pais submitted that there was no need to detain the accused in CBI custody as it is the case of the prosecution that all the e-mails have been obtained in the INX Media case itself.