The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) response to Congress MP Karti Chidambaram’s plea challenging the framing of charges against him in the alleged Chinese visa scam but declined to halt the trial court proceedings at this stage.
Justice Manoj Jain issued notice to the CBI on Chidambaram’s application and directed it to file a short reply or status report before the next hearing scheduled on February 12. However, he firmly refused to stay the lower court proceedings slated for February 4, remarking, “Let us not derail the trial.”
Appearing for the Lok Sabha MP from Sivaganga, senior advocate Sidharth Luthra contended that the case was built solely on the testimony of an approver, without any corroborating evidence of a demand or acceptance of a bribe. He further argued that charges under Sections 8 and 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which relate to bribery, were unsustainable in the absence of any identified public servant involved in the alleged offence.
Luthra said, “Despite the alleged ₹50 lakh bribe, no public servant has been arrayed. There’s a complete absence of material to show demand or receipt of bribe.”
CBI counsel, however, clarified that the February 4 hearing before the trial court was only for procedural formalities.
On December 23, 2025, a Delhi trial court had ordered the framing of charges under IPC Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and Sections 8 and 9 of the PC Act against Karti Chidambaram and six others. The court had held there was prima facie sufficient material to proceed.
The charges relate to an alleged bribery arrangement to facilitate work permits for 263 Chinese workers employed by Shandong Electric Power Construction Corp (SEPCO), which was executing a thermal power project in Punjab for Vedanta subsidiary Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL).
According to the CBI’s chargesheet, the project was lagging behind schedule, risking contractual penalties. It was alleged that an executive from TSPL reached out to Chidambaram via his associate, S Bhaskararaman, seeking help in securing Chinese visas swiftly. The CBI alleged that bribe money was routed through Mumbai-based Bell Tools.
The chargesheet names Karti Chidambaram, Bhaskararaman, TSPL, Bell Tools, and others. The FIR was originally registered in 2022 after a two-year preliminary inquiry.
In his petition, Chidambaram asserted that the trial court had ignored vital documents and failed to apply its judicial mind. Filed through advocate Akshat Gupta, the petition stated: “There must be evidence of money or the equivalent being demanded by the accused, payment thereof, and acceptance… There is not even an allegation, let alone evidence, of any demand being made by the petitioner.”
The petition also argued that the “re-use” of visas was an existing administrative practice that did not necessitate a criminal conspiracy.
The case continues to draw political and legal attention, with Chidambaram maintaining that the prosecution is devoid of any prosecutable material while the CBI insists on a prima facie case of corruption. The next hearing in the High Court is scheduled for February 12.
