RFL case: Delhi HC adjourns hearing on ED's plea seeking custody of Malvinder, Godhwani

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday adjourned till November 27 the hearing on a petition filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking custody of former Fortis Healthcare promoter Malvinder Singh and former chief managing director of Religare Enterprises Limited, Sunil Godhwani in a money laundering case.

Justice Chandrashekhar asked the counsels representing Singh and Godhwani to file their reply by tomorrow. The case relates to alleged misappropriation of funds of Religare Finvest Limited (RFL).

Singh and Godhwani are accused of laundering money, punishable under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Malvinder and Sunil were sent to the judicial custody by a trial court on Saturday which was challenged by the ED in the High Court yesterday.

Special Judge Sandeep Yadav of the Saket Court had refused to grant more custody to ED and sent both the accused to Tihar Jail till December 7 after they were produced before it on expiry of their custodial interrogation.

Senior advocates Ramesh Gupta and Manu Sharma, appearing for the duo, strongly opposed the ED application seeking further remand of their clients.

The counsels alleged that the investigation agency's probe is biased. "Agency is just harassing us. They are shielding some people specifically with a nexus between them and investigation agency," they asserted.

ED's counsel advocate Amit Mahajan and Nitesh Rana, however, said that the duo needs to be confronted with some people. "We are trying to trace a fund, it a public money which is siphoned off by them.