Visa scam case: Karti Chidambaram writes to Speaker Om Birla, alleges breach of parliamentary privilege

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, who is being probed by the CBI in an alleged visa scam case, on Friday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla alleging a "brazen breach" of his "parliamentary privilege", adding that his family members are being targeted by the present government and its investigating agencies by foisting one fake case after another.

"I am distressed to bring the matter of grave importance to your urgent notice. This issue concerns my rights and privileges as a Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha). Over the course of the past few years, my family and I have become targets of a relentless campaign by the present government and its investigating agencies who are trying to silence our voices of dissent by foisting one fake case after another. Such targeted intimidation of a Member of the House amounts to a breach of privilege," Karti said in his letter to Lok Sabha Speaker.

Karti claimed he has become the victim of a grossly illegal and patently unconstitutional action. He said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided his residence in Delhi in the "garb of conducting an investigation" into an 11-year-old decision of the government in which he did not have any involvement.

The Congress MP alleged that certain officers of the CBI seized his highly confidential and sensitive personal notes and papers pertaining to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Information and Technology, of which he is a Member.

"These actions by the CBI, in so far as they relate to interference with my duties as a parliamentarian, amount to a direct assault upon the democratic principles on which our Parliament is founded. I, therefore, urge you to take immediate cognizance of this issue, which is a brazen breach of my parliamentary privilege," he urged.

After Thursday, the Congress MP has been called again by CBI in the alleged visa scam case on Friday.

On his way to CBI Headquarters, Karti said, "It is their privilege to call me and it is my duty to go."

On May 17, the CBI arrested Karti's close associate S Bhaskar Raman in the case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had also filed a money laundering case in the alleged Chinese visa scam case involving Congress MP.

It is alleged that Karti Chidambaram received Rs 50 lakh to illegally facilitate visas for 263 Chinese nationals to complete a power project in Punjab.

Karti's father and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram was home minister in 2011 but P Chidambaram has not been named as an accused in the FIR.

Besides the MP, the CBI has booked four other people including Karti Chidambaram's chartered accountant S Bhaskararaman, Vikas Makharia, representative of Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd, a Mansa-based private company, and Bell Tools, Mumbai along with 'unknown public servants and private individuals.

(ANI)

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