VVIP chopper case: Dubai-based businessman sent to 4-day ED custody by Delhi court

A Delhi court Thursday allowed custodial interrogation of Rajeev Saxena, a Dubai-based businessman wanted in the VVIP chopper case, by the Enforcement Directorate which alleged that he along with another accused provided global corporate structure to launder money.

Deported from Dubai, Saxena arrived at the IGI airport early this morning and taken into the custody by ED which produced him in the forenoon before Special Judge Arvind Kumar.

The probe agency sought 8-day custody of Saxena but the judge provided only four days to interrogate him in connection with the VVIP chopper scam. An alleged middleman in the deal, Christain James Michel who is a British national, was also brought from Dubai last month and is in Tihar jail.

The agency alleged that in connivance with another accused Guatam Khaitan, a Delhi based lawyer, Saxena was involved in providing a global corporate structure for laundering illegal proceeds of the crime for payment to various political persons, bureaucrats and air force officials to influence the contract for supply of 12 VVIP helicopters in favour of AgustaWestland.

The CBI and ED have registered cases in the VVIP chopper case in which former Air Force chief S P Tyagi is one of the accused.

While granting the custody of Saxena, the judge noted: "ED is seeking police custody remand of eight days as the accused need to be confronted with voluminous documents received through LRs to the other accused persons and witnesses to unearth the larger conspiracy and money trial.Keeping in view the facts and and circumstances, submissions made by the parties, I deem it fit to grant four days remand of the accused. Accordingly, the accused is remanded to four days custody."