A Delhi court has declared UK-based arms consultant Sanjay Bhandari a fugitive economic offender on an Enforcement Directorate plea.
The UK High Court has concluded the hearing for Nirav Modi's application to reopen his extradition appeal, focusing on claims of potential torture during interrogations in India. The court has reserved its judgement.
A Delhi court has requested clarification from the Ministry of External Affairs regarding the extradition status of a former managing director of Bush Foods Overseas Pvt Ltd and his wife, who are residing in London, in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged Rs 750-crore bank loan fraud.
Robert Vadra, husband of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in connection with the Sanjay Bhandari money laundering case.
A UK court on Monday ruled that Sanjay Bhandari, an accused middleman and consultant in arms deals, can be extradited to India to face charges of tax evasion and money laundering.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a charge sheet against Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in a money laundering case related to a land deal in Haryana's Shikohpur. The ED has also attached properties worth Rs. 37.64 crore linked to Vadra.
Arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari has opposed the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) plea in a Delhi court seeking to declare him a "fugitive " in connection with a black money case. Bhandari claims his stay in the UK is legal as the London High Court denied his extradition to India. The court's decision was also cited by an English court in April to deny the Indian government's request to extradite another accused in a rice-buying scam. Bhandari's lawyer argued that the ED's application was "vague, misplaced and without jurisdiction " and that the value involved in the case was less than the required Rs 100 crore to declare someone a "fugitive. " The Delhi court has sought the ED's rebuttal to Bhandari's argument by May 3.
The Indian government as respondent in Sanjay Bhandari extradition case has sought permission from the London high court to appeal against the discharge of the defence sector consultant wanted in Delhi to face charges of alleged tax evasion and money laundering.
Arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, who is under the scanner of multiple investigating agencies, may have fled the country, a media report claimed on Thursday.
Vadra has been questioned multiple times by the federal probe agency in a different money laundering case.
'It is ensured that no adversaries or people who oppose Tahawwur Rana's philosophy are housed in the same ward or jail.' 'Additionally, it is ensured that he does not have any prior contacts within that jail.' 'So, the lodgment of such a high-profile prisoner is done very carefully.'
"Mr Robert Vadra not only renovated the aforesaid property at 12 Bryanston Square, London through Sumit Chadha but also stayed in the same," it said.
The Delhi high court on Friday dismissed petitions by Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra against the income tax department's decision to transfer their assessments to the Central Circle, which is mandated to check tax evasion, instead of an ordinary assessment in a matter related to fugitive arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari.
Searches conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the anti-money laundering law rose by 86 times while arrests and attachment of assets jumped by around 25 times in the 10 years since 2014 compared to the preceding nine-year period, according to official data.
Purchase of three plots of land in Haryana in 2005-06 by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra from a real estate agent is being probed along with a land deal made by his wife Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) claimed in a recently filed money laundering case charge sheet.
Sanjay Bhandari, an accused arms dealer wanted in India on money laundering and tax evasion charges, is pursuing a separate legal battle of his own in France over an alleged unpaid cut from a large Indian defence contract dating back over 10 years, according to a UK media report.
Despite Nirav Modi win, in the last five years, India managed to bring only about 20 fugitive offenders.
Vadra was asked to join the investigation at the tax authority's office but as he cited COVID-19 restrictions, a team of officials visited his premises in Delhi's Sukhdev Vihar area.
Vadra's anticipatory bail application is likely to be heard by the court on Saturday.
Special Judge Arvind Kumar also directed him not to tamper with the evidence or influence witnesses and join the investigation as and when called by the investigating officer.
Wanted diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who remains behind bars in a London prison as he contests his extradition to India on charges of fraud and money laundering in the estimated $2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, will find out the UK court's ruling in the nearly two-year-long legal battle on Thursday. The 49-year-old is expected to appear via videolink from Wandsworth Prison in south-west London at Westminster Magistrates' Court, where District Judge Samuel Goozee is set to hand down his judgment on whether the jeweller has a case to answer before the Indian courts. The magistrates' court ruling will then be sent back to UK Home Secretary Priti Patel for a sign off, with the possibility of appeals in the High Court on either side depending on the outcome.
The central probe agency had filed a money laundering case to probe the deal and is carrying out the action to collect evidence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), officials said.
The CBI also carried out searches at the residence and office of controversial arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari in connection with the deal
Vadra was directed by a Delhi court to cooperate with the investigation being carried out by the central probe agency after he knocked on its door seeking anticipatory bail in this case.
While Vadra was grilled for the first time for about five-and-a-half hours, he was questioned the second time for about 9 hours.
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Vadra's interim protection from arrest was extended till April 1.
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The BJP asked the Gandhis to speak up over the issue.
Official sources said the investigating officer of the case put across to him at least half-a-dozen statements of his alleged aides which form a purported "link" between him, absconding arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, Bhandari's associates and others.
The case relates to allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property -- located at 12, Bryanston Square -- worth 1.9 million pounds, which is allegedly owned by Vadra.
Vadra is expected to be questioned again on either Friday or Saturday.
Enforcement Directorate alleged that he was not cooperating and sought his custodial interrogation.
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Vadra, on Facebook termed as "witch hunt" the Enforcement Directorate's action of attaching assets of a firm linked to him, and claimed that it showed "complete misuse of assertion of power".
'The web of transactions is so complex that it requires expertise to understand the strategies involved in each fraud.'
She dared the government to order an impartial probe if there is something in which she said the truth will come out.
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