Non bailable warrant issued against Kamal Nath’s nephew Ratul Puri

Aug 9, 2019
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday issued a Non Bailable Warrant (NBW) against Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath’s nephew Ratul Puri in a money laundering case relating to the AgustaWestland deal.

Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar allowed the application filed by the Enforcement Directorate seeking the NBW against Puri.

The court, however, dismissed an impleadment application filed by Puri through his counsel Vijay Aggarwal.

Aggarwal filed another application challenging the grounds of the NBW. The court will consider it on August 13.

During the hearing on Thursday, ED’s counsel and Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) D.P. Singh told the court that Puri was evasive and if he remained free, there was a chance that more witnesses may turn hostile.

“He is evasive, there is flight risk and we have evidence that he is tampering with evidence and is influencing the witnesses,” he added.

Ratul Puri is under the scanner on charges of allegedly receiving kickbacks in the AgustaWestland deal through his companies.

The agency has alleged that banks accounts associated with firms owned and operated by Ratul Puri were used to receive kickbacks and launder money in the AgustaWestland deal.

The court had earlier this week dismissed the anticipatory bail plea filed by Puri.

Puri, who has been questioned in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, on July 26 sought a break from the investigating officer of the case, saying he needed to go to the washroom. But he slipped away, an agency official said.

As he did not return to join the investigation, agency officials tried to call him on his mobile phone but it was found switched off.

Puri has denied the allegations and said that he was granted a lunch break while being interrogated.IANS