The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in its recently filed prosecution complaint has alleged that Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram received unlawful gratification of Rs 50 lakh via his associate S Bhaskararaman to secure approval for reusing Chinese visas for Talwandi Sabo Power Limited, a company involved in setting up a power project in Punjab’s Mansa.
The Enforcement Directorate filed the prosecution complaint against Karti Chidambaram, his firm Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited, S. Bhaskararaman, Talwandi Sabo Power Limited and others in a money-laundering case. The agency filed the prosecution complaint under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002 before a special court in Delhi and the court took cognizance on March 19.
ED initiated investigation on the basis of First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the provisions of Indian Penal Code (PC), 1860 and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
In a statement issued days after the ED filed its prosecution complaint in the court, it alleged “Investigation revealed that Karti P Chidambaram took illegal gratification of Rs 50 lakh through his close aide S Bhaskararaman for getting the approval for reuse of Chinese Visas by the company Talwandi Sabo Power Limited, which was establishing a power project at Mansa, Punjab. Officials of the Company approached Karti P. Chidambaram for getting the approval for reuse of Visas from Ministry of Home Affairs wherein his father was Home Minister.”
“Modus operandi adopted in the case was that the company paid Rs 50 lakh through cheque to an entry operator in the garb of fictitious services. The entry operator in turn paid Rs 50 lakh cash to S Bhaskararaman, a close associate of Karti Chidambaram. Subsequently, S Bhaskararaman invested this cash of Rs 50 lakh in Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited, a Company controlled by Karti P. Chidambaram. The value of Rs. 50 lakh so invested increased to Rs 1.59 crore over a period of time which is the proceeds of crime as per provisions of PMLA, 2002,” the agency further claimed.
(with inputs from ANI)
