CBI court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath’s nephew Ratul Puri in AgustaWestland case. According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Puri has been untraceable and has not joined the investigation after the cancellation of the anticipatory bail application.
#JustIn: Court issues non-bailable warrant against #KamalNath‘s kin #RatulPuri
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— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) August 9, 2019
The law enforcement agency had moved Delhi Court on Wednesday, seeking the issuance of a non-bailable warrant against Puri in connection with the money laundering case related to the AgustaWestland chopper scam. ED while seeking a non-bailable arrest warrant against Hindustan Power Projects Pvt. Ltd (HEPCL) chairman, told Special Judge Arvind Kumar that Puri was ‘non-cooperative’ and ‘untraceable.’ In its application, the ED mentioned that Puri who was directed to join the investigation on Tuesday had failed to turn up before the agency.
A few days ago, the nephew of Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath had disappeared from ED office when he was being questioned in connection with the Agusta Westland chopper scandal. According to reports, Puri escaped from the Enforcement Directorate office in Delhi using the excuse of going to the bathroom.
Although Puri has been maintaining that he has no relation with the chopper deal and the scam involved with it, ED had confronted him with evidence that they have collected recently. He is suspected of receiving kickbacks from the UPA era chopper deal, which was cancelled by the UPA government soon after the details of the scam emerged. The Income Tax department had also raided his home recently and recovered several documents. Rajiv Saxena, who has turned approver in the case, revealed about Puri’s link with the deal.
The probe agencies say that Puri’s bank accounts were used to divert the kickback money in the deal.
