AgustaWestland case: Court dismisses bail plea of Ratul Puri considering evidence

A special Delhi court on Tuesday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of businessman Ratul Puri in AgustaWestland chopper case considering the evidence collected by Enforcement Directorate.

CBI Judge Arvind Kumar also rejected Puri's application seeking a copy of the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and statement under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Considering the "evidence collected so far by ED and considering the serious nature of allegations, the gravity of the offence and the alleged conduct of the accused" the court did not find it fit to grant anticipatory bail to Puri.

Earlier today, Puri's lawyer had withdrawn a petition from Delhi High Court, which sought a direction to the special CBI court to hear two of his applications before passing an order on his anticipatory bail plea.

The businessman had moved the High Court contending that the trial court had not decided on his application seeking a copy of statements under ECIR and PMLA.

He had also sought an extension of protection from arrest granted to him in connection with the money laundering case connected with the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP chopper deal.

The interim protection from arrest granted to him by the special court ends today.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing Puri's alleged role in the multi-crore scam and has been seeking the businessman's custody to further investigate the matter.

During the course of hearing last week, Special Public Prosecutor DP Singh, representing the ED, had told the court that Puri, who is the nephew of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, is very influential and might flee the country.

The case pertains to alleged irregularities in purchase of 12 VVIP choppers from Italy-based Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland.