New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) interrogated Congress MP Karti Chidambaram over nine hours on Thursday in connection with an alleged scam over the issuance of visas to 263 Chinese nationals in 2011, officials said. According to a report by news agency PTI, a special court had ordered the Congress MP to join the probe within 16 hours of his arrival from UK and Europe.
As per reports, Karti came back to India on Wednesday and arrived at the CBI office around 8am on Thursday. He was allowed to go on a recess for an hour in the afternoon following which the interrogation resumed and went on till 6pm.
After leaving the CBI office post questioning, Karti, as quoted by news agency ANI said, “This is a bogus case and a bogus investigation. They always treat me with courtesy but there is nothing to ask me. That’s the whole point.”
It is to be noted that the case pertains to allegations of Rs 50 lakh paid to Karti and his close associate S Bhaskararaman as bribe, by a top executive of Vedanta group company Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd. (TSPL) that was setting up a power plant in Punjab. The bribe was given for re-issuance of project visas for 263 Chinese nationals of a firm company that was executing the project, according to the CBI FIR.
Karti’s associate Bhaskararaman has already been taken into CBI custody in connection with the case.
However, Karti Chidambaram, refuted all allegations and called it “harassment” and “witch-hunt”.