7-day bail for Agusta accused Rajiv Saxena
Enforcement Directorate didn’t oppose his plea
NEW DELHI: A district court in Delhi on Thursday granted seven-day interim bail to Rajiv Saxena, who is one of the accused in the AgustaWestland chopper scam.
Saxena was sent to India from the United Arab Emirates in January to face trial over alleged bribery of government officials involved in an abortive deal to buy 12 helicopter from the Anglo-Italian firm, AgustaWestland. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has named Saxena as the “key money launderer” in the scam.
The ED did not oppose Saxena’s bail plea. “We said on the first date… when he was brought that he is cooperating. And we had said so in our remand application. I am not persecutor but a prosecutor,” ED’s special public prosecutor, DP Singh, told the court on Wednesday.
The court on Thursday asked Singh if the Enforcement Directorate had any apprehensions regarding Saxena’s bail. “Is your submission the same? No apprehensions?” the court asked.
The Patiala House Court gave Saxena interim bail in lieu of Rs 5 lakh with two sureties of the same amount. It directed him against leaving Delhi without permission. The court also ordered him not to tamper with the evident or try to contact any of the witnesses.
The court also directed Saxena to join the investigation as and when called. The bail has been given till February 22.
Singh did not oppose Saxena’s bail plea because of his deteriorating health conditions and his cooperation.
Earlier, Saxena’s lawyer, Geeta Luthra, told the court that her client “is suffering from advanced stage leukemia, radiating back pain, numbness and heaviness in legs, neck pain and muscle spasms.”