British citizen Sumit Chaddha, a newly-made accused by the Enforcement Directorate of money laundering related to controversial arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari and others, has moved the Delhi Court against the issuance of a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against him in the case.
Additional Sessions Judge Neelofer Abida Parveen on January 29, 2024, sought a response from the Enforcement Directorate and fixed the matter for February 3, 2024, for arguments in the matter.
Recently, the same court issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against the UK national in the case at the request of the Enforcement Directorate. The Court said that it was satisfied that the presence of accused Sumit Chadha cannot be secured through the ordinary process. NBWs are ordered against the accused, Sumit Chaddha for his arrest and production before this Court accordingly.”
On January 29, 2024, another accused, CC Thumpi, appeared in pursuance of the summons and informed the court that he was already on bail.
For the appearance of accused Sumit Chaddha for compliance u/s 207 Cr. P.C./for filing of a status report in respect of accused Sanjay Bhandari/for further proceedings, put up on February 28, 2024, said the court.
Earlier, After going through the supplementary prosecution complaint (Chargesheet) recently filed by ED in a money laundering case, the court said “Having heard, the Special Public Prosecutors for ED and perused the contents of the supplementary complaint, the court said, there is sufficient ground for the summoning of accused C.C. Thampi (UAE based NRI) and Sumit Chadha (UK National) as per the complaint. Summons will be issued for
appearance of accused C.C. Thampi”.
The Enforcement Directorate has recently filed a supplementary chargesheet in terms of the first proviso of Section 44 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 against accused C.C. Thampi as well as accused Sumit Chaddha, respectively, for the commission of an offense defined under Section 3 of PMLA, 2002 and punishable under Section 4 of PMLA, 2002.
According to the ED, accused Sanjay Bhandari had created a web of entities by engaging various individuals based in the UAE and the U.K. to acquire several properties outside India.
The perusal of the several emails exchanged and filed on record clearly indicates that accused C.C. Thampi and Sumit Chadha were working in tandem and are close confidants of accused Sanjay Bhandari.
ED further added that there is ample material for proceeding against these two accused, gathered during the further investigation and submitted by way of the first supplementary complaint. The summons were issued to accused Sumit Chadha but he refused to receive the summons sent to him through diplomatic channels. He did not respond to the summons.
Advocates Naveen Kumar Matta, Arun Khatri and Mohd Faizan appeared for the Enforcement Directorate in the matter.
Sanjay Bhandari is allegedly a close associate of Priyanka Gandhi’s husband, Robert Vadra.
Vadra is presently on anticipatory bail in the present case. It has been alleged that during the UPA era, Bhandari took commission and purchased properties in London whose beneficial owner was Robert Vadra. Robert Vadra denies these charges.
Vadra’s lawyer earlier told the court that the investigation in the said ECIR has been going on for around 6 years and is still pending, yet no proceedings before the court can be said to be pending against the applicant/Vadra nor anything incriminating has been found against the applicant till date; the applicant is, thus, not even an accused as of today.
ED, while opposing Vadra’s plea for travel abroad, submitted that, in view of the influence, political clout and connections of the applicant, it is highly likely that the applicant, if allowed to travel to Austria and Switzerland, the same may frustrate the proceedings as one LR issued to the appropriate authority in Switzerland in other criminal proceedings against co-accused Sanjay Bhandari is pending and the applicant may interfere with the same.
The co-accused, Sanjay Bhandari, has evaded the process of law despite there being an LOC against him and thereafter, a Red Corner Notice (RCN) was issued against him.
Now the extradition process of the main accused, Sanjay Bhandari, from the United Kingdom is at a crucial stage. As such, the possibility of the applicant evading the process of law cannot be ruled out, as stated by ED in court. (ANI)
