ED attaches property of Rajiv Saxena, accused in AgustaWestland chopper scam

NEW DELHI: The enforcement directorate on Friday attached assets worth over Rs 385 crore, including a villa in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai worth $20 million and deposits in five Swiss bank accounts worth $46 million. The ED said in its provisional order that the assets belong to

Rajiv Saxena

, an accused in the payoffs case of

AgustaWestland

chopper scam and the bank fraud of

Moser Baer

.


"Rajiv Saxena manages the proceeds of crime and tainted funds of many high profile and high net worth individuals," ED said in its provisional attachment order. The agency explained that it had written to the Swiss confederation to attach the funds and restrain Saxena from transfering them to other tax havens.

The ED order further claimed, "Rajiv Saxena has admitted to laundering the proceeds of crime not only of AgustaWestland deal but also various other defence deals. The proceeds of crime have also been transferred to the personal accounts of Rajiv Saxena and his wife Shivani Saxena (also an accused)."

Saxena was deported to India from UAE on January 31 last year for his alleged involvement in the AgustaWestland chopper scam and was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Later, he turned approver in the case and gave the agency and also submitted before the special PMLA court an affidavit detailing information about his alleged role in round-tripping of about Rs 425 crore payoffs received in the AgustaWestland chopper deal executed by the Manmohan Singh government in UPA-2.

Based on evidences gathered during the probe, ED later arrested former

Madhya Pradesh

CM Kamal Nath’s nephew Ratul Puri for his connection with Saxena and involvement in the alleged money laundering of the bribes received in the AgustaWestland deal. Puri was also accused of threatening witnesses in the money laundering case. He spent more than 100 days in custody.

The ED, which had filed at least six chargesheets against Puri so far in the case, cited several instances of influencing witnesses in the case, including Rajiv Saxena who was allegedly warned by Puri not to reveal any details about his ‘uncle’ and father to the investigating officers.

Kavita, who is estranged wife of Ratul Puri, had recorded a statement with the ED that he had forced her to write a letter that she could not join the probe as she had to tend to her bedridden father-in-law Deepak Puri at their Aurangzeb Road house.

"In Moser Baer bank fraud case, the proceeds of crime belonging to Deepak Puri amounting to $16.33 million have also been attached in the hands of Rajiv Saxena," the attachment order said. Saxena helped Deepak Puri launder the funds generated from Indian banks, it added.

The ED probe revealed that $16.33 million of Deepak Puri was parked in the accounts of Matrix group companies controlled by Saxena and his wife. "Similarly, funds belonging to Ratul Puri and transferred to Rajiv Saxena from an undisclosed foreign entity have also been attached in the hands of Saxena," the ED order said.