Delhi court allows ED to interrogate Deepak Talwar in judicial custody

A Delhi court on Saturday granted permission to Enforcement Directorate (ED) to further interrogate corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar in judicial custody in connection with cases pertaining to an illicit aviation deal among others.

The court allowed the ED to interrogate Talwar from January 27 to January 31 between 9 am and 5 pm as per jail rules.

The ED has sought permission for recording the statement of accused Deepak Talwar, who is in judicial custody, under Section 50 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

Special Judge Santosh Snehi Mann, while allowing the plea seeking permission to interrogate accused Deepak Talwar, stated that the ED is allowed to further interrogate the accused as per Rule 20(4) of the Delhi Prisons (Visitors of Prisons), Rules, 1988 and Rule 1347 of Delhi Prison Rules, 2018.

According to the rule 1347 of Delhi Prison Rules, only police officers who have been authorized by a Judge or Magistrate should be allowed to interrogate an under trial prisoner while in prison custody.

Deepak Talwar was last year extradited by Dubai authorities along with Dubai-based businessman Rajeev Saxena.

The economic offences watchdog, in its charge-sheet, said that the investigation has revealed that Talwar obtained undue favours for the private airlines using his contacts, causing losses to national carrier Air India.

Talwar was booked by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in criminal cases of corruption, while the Income Tax Department charged him with tax evasion.

ED had told the court that it was trying to find out the names of Ministry of Civil Aviation, National Aviation Company of India Ltd and Air India officials, who favoured foreign airlines by making national carrier, give up profit-making routes and timings.

The lobbyist had allegedly received payments to the tune of Rs 272 crore during 2008-09 from private international airlines in lieu of securing favourable traffic rights using his contacts, due to which Air India had allegedly suffered huge losses, ED said.