Chopper case: Delhi court directs Saxena to record statement for being an approver on Mar 5

A Delhi court Saturday directed Rajeev Saxena, who had moved a plea to become an approver in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland money laundering case, to record his statement before a magistrate on March 5.

The court had earlier marked Saxena's plea before the court of the chief metropolitan magistrate (CMM) on March 2 for recording of his disclosure statement (disclose intentions for becoming an approver), but Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal put up the matter for March 5 after the alleged middleman told the court on Saturday that he was not feeling well.

"The present application has been marked for recording of statement of Rajeev Saxena, who has filed an application under section 306 (tender of pardon to accomplice) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Saxena has requested his statement be recorded on March 5 as he was not feeling well. Request is allowed," the court said.

Saxena had earlier told the court that he had no intention not to cooperate and that it was logical at this stage to complete his testimony in a fair way.

The judge had asked him, "Are you aware that you may not be absolved of punishment by becoming an approver?"