Searches led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are underway at seven official and residential premises of former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram in the cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Sivagangai and Chennai, according to sources, as per a report by NDTV.

The sources have revealed that the searches were conducted on the morning of Tuesday and are in connection with a court case against the senior Congress leader’s son Karti Chidambaram who is the Congress MP from Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu.

The agency has filed a new case against Karti Chidambaram over illegal gratification for allegedly receiving foreign remittances between 2010 and 2014 and providing visas to Chinese nationals. 

Sources claimed that the Congress MP took a bribe of Rs 50 lakh from the Chinese citizens to facilitate their visa process during the UPA-II government.

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On May 15, 2017, the CBI filed a corruption case in the INX Media matter, along with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) submitting a money laundering case against the minister’s son. 

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In February 2018, Karti Chidambaram was taken under arrest by the CBI and was granted bail a month later.

This isn’t the first time that the agency has raided Chidambaram’s properties. In 2019, searches were conducted in 16 properties linked to the INX Media corruption and money laundering case. Back then, the CBI climbed up the walls of P Chidambaram‘s residence in Jor Bagh and arrested him. 

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Reacting to the recent raids, Karti Chidambaram wrote on Twitter: “I have lost count, how many times has it been? Must be a record.”

CBI officials have said that the raid lasted for about 15 minutes.