A court in Delhi sent journalist Upendra Rai to 14-day judicial custody on Thursday in a money laundering case, PTI reported. The Enforcement Directorate told the court that Rai’s interrogation was over and his custody was no longer needed.
The money laundering case is connected to a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into allegations of extortion and dubious financial transactions against Rai.
Rai has refuted all the allegations against him and claimed that he is being framed for his reportage on an Enforcement Directorate officer who is investigating the 2G spectrum allocation scam case.
The investigating agency had arrested Rai and booked him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act on June 8, soon after he secured bail in the extortion case being looked into the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The Enforcement Directorate said that classified documents, such as income tax assessment orders of various companies and reports of suspicious transaction of nearly 140 firms, were seized from Rai’s possession and have been submitted in the court. The agency has also accused Rai of travelling abroad to deposit his illegally acquired income in foreign accounts.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!