New Delhi, 19 January (H.S.): Justice Anup Jairam Bambhani of the Delhi High Court recused himself on Monday from hearing Congress leader Karti Chidambaram's petition challenging a trial court order on framing charges. Chidambaram contested the directive to frame charges against him in a bribery case involving visas for Chinese nationals.The petition now stands transferred to another bench for hearing on January 23.

On December 23, 2025, Rouse Avenue Court ordered framing of charges against Karti Chidambaram and six other accused while discharging one. Chidambaram challenged Rouse Avenue Court's decision to frame charges against him before the High Court.

Rouse Avenue Court directed framing of charges against Karti Chidambaram, S. Bhaskar Raman, M/s Talwandi Sabo Power Limited, M/s Bell Tools Limited, Viral Mehta, Anoop Agarwal, and Mansoor Siddiqui under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 204 (destruction of evidence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, alongside Sections 8 and 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court discharged accused Chetan Shrivastava from all charges.The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided P. Chidambaram's residence in May 2022 in this matter. Following CBI's FIR, the Enforcement Directorate registered a parallel case.

According to CBI, searches conducted on May 14, 2022, at P. Chidambaram's home triggered formal case registration. Karti Chidambaram allegedly received ₹50 lakh bribe in 2011 to facilitate visas for 263 Chinese nationals. CBI arrested Bhaskar Raman on May 18, 2022.

Per CBI, Talwandi Sabo Power Limited paid ₹50 lakh to Bell Tools Limited, which forwarded it as visa bribe to S. Bhaskar Raman.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar