Pradip Burman allowed to visit ailing brother in London

A Delhi court has granted permission to Pradip Burman, one of the promoters of Dabur India whose name figures in the list given by the government to the Supreme Court on the black money issue, to go to London to visit his ailing brother.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Devender Kumar Sharma allowed the plea of Burman who sought permission to go abroad for five days from Jan 11 to attend to his brother.

The court passed the order Jan 7 but it was made available to the media Monday.

Burman said his brother was critically ill and suffering from various ailments, including throat cancer and hepatitis C.

The court directed Burman to submit the details of his stay in London and also to inform it on his return.

In its order, the court said: "In view of submissions and facts and circumstances that he (Burman) was earlier allowed to visit abroad and he has returned in accordance with the undertaking given before this court, the application in hand is allowed and the applicant is permitted to visit London on January 11 for five days subject to filing of itinerary in the form of affidavit before leaving the country... and should intimate the court after return from London."

The court also fixed Jan 27 for recording of pre-charge evidence in two alleged tax evasion cases involving Burman, who was earlier granted bail by the court.

The court had granted bail but barred Burman from leaving the country without its permission after the income tax department said there was a likelihood that he may leave the country to avoid prosecution in the case.

A case was registered against Burman under the Income Tax Act for offences relating to concealment of income and tax evasion.

According to the department's complaint, Burman was holding foreign bank accounts but he had not disclosed about it in his income tax returns and there were undisclosed deposits in those two accounts.