ED files charge sheet against lobbyist Deepak Talwar, names his son Aditya

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday filed a charge sheet before a Special CBI court here against corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar in connection with a money laundering case and also named his son Aditya Talwar as an accused.

Special CBI Judge Santosh Snehi Mann said he would hear arguments on the issue of taking cognisance of the charge sheet on April 15.

The court also extended the judicial custody of Deepak Talwar till the next date of hearing.

According to the agency, Deepak Talwar allegedly caused a huge loss to Air India after its profitable routes were given to private airlines from the Middle East.

The financial investigators are probing the money-laundering aspect of the loss faced by the airline after the privatisation of its routes.

The ED told the Special judge that it has named in the charge sheet Deepak Talwar's son Aditya Talwar as an accused in the case.

Aditya Talwar is an NRI and a resident of Singapore.

The charge sheet comes two days after the agency told the Delhi High Court that it will file the document against Deepak Talwar before April 1.

"Before April 1, we will file the charge sheet against Deepak Talwar for his role in causing loss to Air India by giving its profitable route to the private airlines," Special Public Prosecutor DP Singh, appearing for the ED, had told a division bench of the high court comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Vinod Goel.

The high court was hearing a habeas corpus plea filed by Deepak Talwar's counsel Vikram Choudhary and Tanseem Ahmad Mir alleging illegal detention of their client.

Deepak Talwar was extradited to India from Dubai on January 30.

He was extradited along with Rajeev Saxena who turned an approver in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case.