The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against Congress MP Karti Chidambaram and others and started investigation. Karti Chidambaram is being investigated for illegally getting Indian visa for a Chinese worker and giving a bribe of 15,000 US dollars (Rs 12.88 lakh) to Advantage Strategic Private Limited. In 2018, the CBI started a preliminary investigation in the FIPB i.e. Foreign Institutional Promotion Board case against Karti, Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited, S Bhaskararaman and unknown people. The investigation found that Diageo Scotland and Sequoia Capitals had quietly transferred funds to the account of Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited. After this a new case has been registered.

Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited is the same company which was on the radar of CBI and ED in the INX Media case and the name of this company also came up in illegally getting Indian visa for Chinese workers.

Karti Chidambaram was arrested in 2018

In 2018, Karti Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI and later Karti's father P Chidambaram was arrested by both the CBI and the ED. Karti Chidambaram has been accused by the CBI that Diageo Scotland approached him and paid US$15,000 (Rs 12.88 lakh) to Advantage Strategic Private Limited, controlled by Karti Chidambaram and S Bhaskararaman, to lift the ban. Diageo Scotland Company imports Johnnie Walker to India. ITDC, which sells imported duty free liquor in India, chose Diageo to sell duty free products in 2005, due to which the sale of Johnnie Walker whisky decreased by 70 percent. 

Sequoia Capital accused of suspicious stock transactions

In another case, suspicious share transactions took place between Sequoia Capital Mauritius and ASPCL through Vasant Healthcare. Instead of directly acquiring shares of Vasant Group to benefit Karti Chidambaram, these were routed through ASPCL. In this transaction, ASPCL was paid Rs 22.50 crore, which came to Rs 7500 per share. Whereas the purchase price of these shares was only Rs 30 lakh. This transaction is suspicious and needs to be investigated.