The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested chartered accountant S Bhaskararaman, a close associate of Congress parliamentarian Karti P Chidambaram in the cash for visa scam.

It is learnt that Bhaskararaman was taken into custody last night after CBI sleuths questioned him to unravel facts crucial to the unfolding of the scam. The chartered accountant was the go between for Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd which had sought his help to seek favours from Karti to get over 200 project visas for Chinese nationals using the influence of his father, P Chidambaram when he was union home minister in 2011.

Bhaskararaman was also accused by the CBI of being the conduit for arranging ₹50 lakh bribe for Karti, which former home minister P Chidambaram had allegedly demanded from the private firm to clear the file for allowing unauthorised re-use of project visas. The Chinese nationals of Shandong Electric Power Construction Corp were engaged by the TSPL to set up a power plant in Punjab.

The CBI has booked Karti and four others, along with unknown government officials, in an FIR on charges of taking bribes at the behest of his former minister father to get project visas. On Tuesday, the CBI carried out searches as well to lay their hands on evidence needed for the case.

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