A court in Delhi on Tuesday initiated in-camera proceedings in a case involving Dubai-based businessman Rajeev Saxena, who is an accused in the AgustaWestland helicopter scam, PTI reported. The press and the public are not allowed to be part of in-camera proceedings, which are generally held in a judge’s chambers.
Saxena was extradited to India on January 30 and arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. He is accused of playing a key role in laundering the money used to pay kickbacks. According to a supplementary chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate in July, the bribe money was “layered” and projected as “untainted money” with the help of “fictitious invoices.”
The central investigation agency on Tuesday did not seek further custody of Saxena, who talked to Special Judge Arvind Kumar in private without his lawyers. The court then initiated in-camera proceedings.
Last week, the Enforcement Directorate had sought Saxena’s custody, noting that the investigation is at a crucial stage.
Meanwhile, a court in the National Capital on Tuesday extended the Enforcement Directorate’s custody of corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar in a money laundering case. Special Judge Bharat Parashar sent Talwar to custody after the agency said they want to confront him with two others related to the case.
Talwar has been in the investigating agency’s custody since his extradition from Dubai along with Saxena. The Enforcement Directorate on February 7 claimed that Talwar had links with fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya.
The Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation have been investigating Talwar’s involvement in a case related to the alleged misuse of Rs 90 crore from a corporate social responsibility initiative. The agencies have booked him for criminal conspiracy and the Income Tax department has charged him with tax evasion. The Enforcement Directorate had initially accused Talwar of serving as a middleman in a deal to favour foreign private airlines and sideline national carrier Air India.
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