AgustaWestland: ED supports Saxena's approver plea

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday told a Delhi Court that it supported Dubai-based businessman Rajiv Saxena's plea seeking to become an approver in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case.

Special Public Prosecutor D.P. Singh told Special Judge Arvind Kumar that the agency had examined Saxena's statement and that he would be an important witness in the case.

The court listed the matter for March 25.

United Arab Emirates security agencies picked up Saxena from his Dubai residence on January 30 and extradited him to India the same night.

He was granted bail on medical grounds last week. The ED did not oppose his bail application.

According to the ED, Saxena, in connivance with lawyer Gautam Khaitan, provided the global corporate structure that laundered money for payment to various political leaders, bureaucrats and Indian Air Force (IAF) officials in order to influence the contract for supplying 12 VVIP helicopters in favour of AgustaWestland.-IANS