Visa scam: CBI custody of Karti's close aide extended by 3 more days

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday got three more days remand of S Bhaskar Raman, a close aide and former chartered accountant of Congress MP Karti Chidambaram in an alleged visa scam case.

Special CBI judge Vikas Dhull extended the CBI remand of S Bhaskar Raman on Monday.

Special public prosecutor appeared for the CBI submitted, "We want his more days custody to confront him with other accused. We have found some incriminating emails they have placed in a sealed cover."

The CBI also informed that Karti Chidambaram will come back to India on May 24 and he has been directed to appear before them in 16 hours.

Earlier, the court said, "It is reflected from the submissions of the CBI that investigation has started in this case which is at its inception, investigation officer is required some time to collect all the relevant information which may be necessary in this case."

The court noted that the accused is admittedly the chartered accountant of Karti Chidambaram and he has been wanted in another case wherein he has been enlarged on bail.

It is further reflected that though the accused has been inquired about during this period, however, a detailed inquiry, as well as the recording of his statement, is yet to be done.

It is also stated by and on behalf of CBI that there are other accused persons involved in this case for which relevant information is required to proceed ahead in this case.

The investigative agency while seeking remand of S Bhaskar Raman alleged that the accused being CA of Kartik Chidambaram has a relevant piece of information as well as various e-mails which are required to be extracted from him for which his police remand is required.

A thorough detailed investigation is to be done to extract such information from the accused.

Appearing for accused S Bhaskar Raman, senior advocate Trideep Pais stated that there is no need to detain the accused in police custody for the reason that, it is a case of the prosecution that all the e-mails have been obtained in the INX Media Case itself.

Last Tuesday, the CBI has registered a case against five accused identified as Karti P Chidambaram, S Bhaskararaman, a close associate, Vikas Makharia, representing Mansa (Punjab) based private company, Talwandi Sabo Power Limited, Mansa (Punjab), Bell Tools Limited, Mumbai (Maharashtra) and unknown public servants and private persons.

It has been alleged that the private company based at Mansa was in the process of establishing a 1980 MW thermal power plant at Mansa (Punjab) and the establishment of the plant was outsourced to a Chinese company.

"It has been further alleged that the project was running behind its schedule.

In order to avoid penal actions for the delay, the said private company of Mansa was trying to bring more and more Chinese persons/professionals for their site in Mansa (Punjab) and needed project Visas over and above the ceiling imposed by the ministry of home affairs," the investigation agency said in an official release.

It has also been alleged that for the said purpose, the Representative of the said private company approached a person based in Chennai through his close associate/frontman and thereafter they devised a back-door way to defeat the purpose of the ceiling (maximum of project visas permissible to the company's plant) by granting permission to re-use 263 project visas allotted to the said Chinese company's officials.