Arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari declared fugitive economic offender
What's the story
A special court in Delhi has declared arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari a Fugitive Economic Offender under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act. The decision was taken on an application moved by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ruling is likely to bolster India's efforts to extradite him from the United Kingdom, where he has been living since 2016.
Case details
Vadra-Bhandari link
Bhandari is under the scanner of several investigative agencies for his alleged financial misconduct. The case against him has now become a major hurdle for Robert Vadra, who is being probed for his alleged links with Bhandari. The ED's chargesheet, filed in 2023, claims that Bhandari bought and renovated a London property in 2009 with funds allegedly given by Vadra.
Denial statement
Vadra's response
Vadra has denied the allegations, calling them a "political witch hunt." He said he was being "hounded and harassed" to serve political ends. The Delhi court's ruling on Bhandari could make it easier for Indian authorities to bring him back from the UK. Bhandari (63) fled to London in 2016, soon after the Income Tax Department raided him in Delhi.