New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANS) A Delhi High Court judge on Friday recused himself from hearing a plea filed by Congress MP Karti P. Chidambaram challenging a trial court order framing charges against him in the Chinese visa scam case, marking the third such recusal in the matter.

The criminal revision petition was listed before Justice Girish Kathpalia, who declined to hear it, citing personal reasons.

The development came after two other judges of the Delhi High Court — Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma and Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani — had earlier also recused themselves from hearing the Congress leader’s plea.

During the brief hearing, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Chidambaram, submitted that charges had been framed against the Congress leader for an offence which was not even alleged against him.

“It is a matter without evidence. I have been sought to be roped in,” he said.

However, Justice Kathpalia observed: “I don’t think I would be able to hear this.”

Accordingly, the single-judge bench directed: “Subject to orders of the judge in charge of the criminal side, list this matter on January 28 before some other bench.”

Chidambaram has challenged the December 23, 2025, order passed by a special CBI court, which framed charges against him for criminal conspiracy and bribing a public servant in connection with alleged irregularities in the issuance of visas to Chinese nationals in 2011.

Charges were also framed against several other accused, while accused Chetan Shrivastava was discharged.

According to the CBI, the case relates to alleged irregularities in 2011 involving the misuse of visas for Chinese nationals, in violation of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) norms. The probe agency has alleged that visas of around 250 Chinese workers were facilitated for reuse beyond the prescribed limit during the construction of a power plant in Punjab. The allegations centre on Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL), a company linked to the Vedanta group, which was setting up a power project in Punjab’s Mansa.

The CBI has alleged that TSPL paid an illegal gratification of Rs 50 lakh to Bell Tools Limited, which was routed to Bhaskararaman, for facilitating visa approvals and renewals for Chinese nationals in excess of the permissible rules. The agency has further claimed that the alleged gratification was paid to secure approvals from the Ministry of Home Affairs at a time when Chidambaram’s father, P. Chidambaram, was serving as the Union Home Minister.

–IANS

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