Rajiv Saxena, co-accused in AgustaWestland sent to 4-day ED remand

Rajeev Saxena, the co-accused in Agusta-Westland VVIP chopper case has been sent to four days of remand to the Enforcement Directorate by the Delhi Court.

The Dubai-based businessman wanted in Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal case was extradited to India from Dubai in the early hours of Thursday from United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Corporate and lobbyist Deepak Talwar who was also extradited along with Saxena has been sent to 7 days of ED remand.

The ED had sought eight days custody of Saxena before special judge Arvind Kumar, who allowed the agency to interrogate him for four days.

During the hearing, Saxena's lawyer claimed that his client was suffering from cancer.The agency, however, said that this was needed to be verified.

Counsel of Rajiv Saxena had earlier also claimed that the manner in which Rajiv Saxena was been brought to India was "illegal" and therefore the request for the remand was also "illegal". 

According to sources a two-member Enforcement Directorate team headed by an Inspector General rank officer and officials of Ministry of External Affairs and Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) had accompanied both the accused to Delhi from Dubai in the aircraft which landed at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi around 2.30 am.

Soon after the aircraft landed, Talwar was taken into Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody, sources said.

(With inputs from agencies)