The Supreme Court on Thursday directed businessman Rajeev Saxena, an approver in a money laundering case related to the AgustaWestland chopper scam, to appear before a medical board of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences to be examined for blood cancer and other ailments, PTI reported.
A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and Navin Sinha sought a report of the medical board within a week after examining Saxena. “Counsel for the respondent [Rajeev Saxena] undertakes that the respondent will appear before the Board of Doctors to be constituted by the Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences on August 2, 2019,” the bench said. “Let the report be sent to this court within a week thereafter.” It then listed the matter for hearing on August 26.
On June 26, the Supreme Court had stayed a Delhi High Court order allowing Saxena to go abroad for treatment of blood cancer. The top court had sought Saxena’s response on an appeal filed by the Enforcement Directorate challenging the June 10 Delhi High Court order permitting him to visit the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Europe from June 25 to July 24. The agency had said that Saxena may not return if permitted to leave.
Saxena was arrested after being extradited to India from Dubai on January 30. He allegedly played a key role in laundering the money used to pay kickbacks.
The Enforcement Directorate had earlier told the court that new facts with regard to other offences had surfaced and the Central Bureau of Investigation would formally register a first information report against Saxena soon.
“The chronology of facts as it has emerged makes it very clear that the respondent [Saxena], who is accused of a serious offence of money laundering and is given pardon on condition of his disclosure of names and details of several other co-accused and has secured his pardon, is now attempting to leave the country,” the Enforcement Directorate said in its affidavit.
The Enforcement Directorate had moved a court in Delhi on Monday seeking to cancel bail granted to Saxena. The court issued a notice to Saxena after the agency said he was not cooperating in the inquiry.
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