New Delhi: Congress leader Karti Chidambaram has been granted regular bail by the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in the issuance of visas to 263 Chinese nationals in 2011. Special Judge for ED and CBI, Kaveri Baweja, granted the relief to the accused after he appeared before the court in pursuance to summons issued against him. The judge granted the relief on a personal bond of Rs one lakh and one surety of like amount.

The court had issued summons against the accused while taking cognisance of a charge sheet filed by the ED in the case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had accused Chidambaram of accepting a Rs 50 lakh bribe to facilitate the approval of visa reuse for Chinese personnel requested by a company involved in establishing a power plant in Punjab. The ED has registered a money laundering case against Karti Chidambaram and other accused in the alleged scam, which involved the issuance of visas to 263 Chinese nationals in 2011 when his father, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, was the Union Home Minister.

The ED registered its case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following an FIR lodged by the CBI in the same case.

Chidambaram had previously called the ED's investigation as a "fishing and roving" expedition, asserting that he has provided the agency with all necessary documentation. He vehemently denied the allegations, calling the case "bogus" and insisting that he never assisted any Chinese citizens in obtaining visas.

 A Delhi court on Thursday granted bail to Congress leader Karti Chidambaram in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Chinese visa scam.