AgustaWestland case: Ratul Puri calls NBW against him 'unfortunate', to take legal recourse

Hours after a Delhi court issued a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against him, businessman Ratul Puri denied his involvement in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam and called the issuance of the warrant as "unfortunate".

Puri, in a statement, also said that he was "fully cooperating" with the Enforcement Directorate which is probing his alleged role in the case.

"Hindustan Power and its promoter categorically deny any involvement in AgustaWestland Helicopter deal. The promoter and the company is fully cooperating with the Enforcement Directorate and has provided all the information requested," the statement reads.

It said, "The issuance of this non-bailable warrant is rather unfortunate."

Puri also said that he will pursue legal action against the warrant. "We have complete faith in the judicial system of the country and will pursue appropriate legal recourse," it said.

Earlier in the day, Special CBI judge Arvind Kumar allowed the ED plea seeking issuance of NBW against Puri. The agency submitted in the court that Puri has not joined the investigation despite several summon.

Puri in the statement also alleged that the ED's counsel misled the court by putting forth "totally incorrect facts".

In its plea, the ED expressed apprehensions that Ratul Puri, who is the nephew of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, may flee and influence witnesses.

The case pertains to alleged irregularities in the purchase of 12 VVIP choppers from Italy-based Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland. The deal was scrapped by the NDA government in 2014 over the alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of payment of kickbacks for securing the deal.