Saxena's ED custody extended in AgustaWestland case

A Delhi court on Friday extended Dubai-based businessman Rajiv Saxena's Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody for four days until February 12 in the AgustaWestland deal case.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar extended Saxena's custody after the ED told him that the accused was required to be confronted with voluminous documents and it would take two more days for him to finish writing answers to the set of questions given.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) security authorities picked up Saxena from his residence in Dubai on January 30 and extradited him to India later that night, along with corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar.

According to the ED, in connivance with lawyer Gautam Khaitan, Saxena provided corporate structure across the globe to the laundered money for payment to various political persons, bureaucrats and Air Force officials to influence the contract for supplying 12 VVIP helicopters in favour of AgustaWestland.

A Delhi court had earlier issued a non-bailable warrant against Saxena after it surfaced that he did not join the investigation despite repeated summons.

Saxena's name was mentioned in a chargesheet filed against his wife, Shivani, who has been out on bail after being arrested by the ED.

--IANS

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