ED wants non-bailable warrant against Ratul Puri

The agency sought the NBW on the grounds that Puri was not cooperating and untraceable. The ED told special judge Arvind Kumar that despite a notice being issued to him to appear before the agency to join the investigation, he failed to turn up.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday moved an application in the Rouse Avenue court here seeking a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Ratul Puri, the nephew of Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath. Puri is being investigated by the agency in connection with a money laundering case related to the ₹3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday moved an application in the Rouse Avenue court here seeking a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Ratul Puri (PTI Photo)

The agency sought the NBW on the grounds that Puri was not cooperating and untraceable. The ED told special judge Arvind Kumar that despite a notice being issued to him to appear before the agency to join the investigation, he failed to turn up. The court is likely to take up the application on Thursday.

The agency’s move comes a day after the court dismissed Puri’s anticipatory bail application. Special judge Kumar while declining the plea on Tuesday had said that he does not find it to be a fit case for grant of anticipatory bail, because the investigation and allegations are of “serious nature”.

The ED, while arguing on the anticipatory bail application, had informed the court that it has various incriminating evidence to show Puri’s complicity. The agency had said that the diary of an accused in the case, Sushen Mohan Gupta, and emails recovered from an accused-turned-approver, Rajiv Saxena, show Puri was in receipt of proceeds of crime.

Puri, chairman of Hindustan Powerprojects Pvt Ltd, had on July 27 approached the court seeking anticipatory bail in the case. Puri’s company issued a statement denying his involvement in the AgustaWestland chopper deal. “Hindustan Power and its promoter categorically denied any involvement in AgustaWestland helicopter deal. The promoter and the company is fully cooperating with the Enforcement Directorate and has provided all the information requested,” the company said.

Puri’s counsel, senior advocate Vijay Aggarwal, has denied Puri’s role in the case. Earlier he had said, “ My client’s name is being unnecessarily dragged five years after the investigation begun in the AgustaWestland. This comes after his utmost cooperation with the ED, despite him having join the investigation 25 times and having given thousand of documents.”