Sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate, which is investigating allegations against Hamdaan Exports, whisked away former Indian Ambassador to Croatia Aniel Mathrani from the back gate of the Indira Gandhi Airport in New Delhi shortly after he arrived in a Syrian Airlines aircraft on late Saturday night.

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Mathrani had been directed to return home by the Indian government on Friday after it was learnt that he had, in an interview to India Today magazine, claimed that former External Natwar Singh had collected oil coupons from former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein during his visit to Iraq in January 2000, under the Oil for Food programme.

It may be recalled that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced in the Parliament that Mathrani's claims would be probed by the Enforcement Directorate.

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