ED opposes journalist Upendra Rai's bail plea before Delhi court

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Thursday opposed before a Delhi court the bail application of journalist Upendra Rai, arrested in a money laundering case related to alleged extortion and dubious financial transactions.

Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Syal, who reserved the order on the application for October 12, was told by ED's special public prosecutors N K Matta and Nitesh Rana that the allegations against Rai were serious and he may influence the witnesses and hamper the probe if released on bail.

The agency told the court that the investigation was still on in relation to the "top secret documents" recovered from Rai's possession and the ED was trying to find out how he procured them.

"Rai is an influential person and he may destroy the evidences and flee from the justice if come out of jail," the agency said.

The ED had earlier told the court through advocates Samvedna Verma and A R Aditya that Rai had extorted money from various persons claiming he had information against them as he was a journalist and that thousands of crore of rupees was extorted.

In his bail application, Rai has claimed that he was not required for further custodial interrogation and no purpose will be served by keeping him in further custody.

The application said that Delhi-based scribe was ready to abide by any condition imposed by the court. Rai had denied before the court all allegations levelled against him.

The journalist was arrested on June 8 by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at the Tihar jail here, moments after he secured bail in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case related to alleged extortion and dubious financial transactions.

He was arrested by the CBI on May 3 for allegedly indulging in dubious financial transactions, getting an airport access pass made by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) by furnishing false information, alleged extortion and manipulation of an Income Tax Department case against a Mumbai-bound businessman.

The Supreme Court had on May 4 refused to interfere with his arrest by the CBI.

The ED had registered a money laundering case against him based on the CBI FIR.