A Delhi special court on Saturday declared UK-based arms consultant Sanjay Bhandari a fugitive economic offender, allowing a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), officials said.
Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal passed the order under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018. According to the ED, Bhandari "absconded" to the UK in 2016, and India's plea seeking his extradition was recently turned down by a UK court.
Money laundering case filed against bhandari
The Enforcement Directorate had filed a criminal case of money laundering against Bhandari and others in February 2017, taking cognisance of an Income Tax department charge sheet filed against him under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015. The agency subsequently filed a charge sheet against him in 2020.
During the proceedings, Bhandari's lawyer opposed the ED's plea, arguing that his residence in the UK was lawful as the London High Court had denied his extradition to India.
The ED, however, told the court that the UK court’s decision had no bearing on the current proceedings, which are independent in nature under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act. The agency submitted that Bhandari had deliberately evaded the due process of law, adding that the value of his undisclosed foreign assets exceeded Rs 100 crore.
