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Sanjay Bhandari, an arms dealer, has challenged the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) request to label him a 'fugitive' in a black money case. He argued before a Delhi court that his residence in the UK is lawful, as the London High Court had rejected his extradition to India.
On Saturday, senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, challenged the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) plea to designate his client as a 'fugitive.' Presenting arguments before Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal, Singh asserted that the ED's petition was vague, improperly filed, and did not meet the legal requirements set forth in the Fugitive Offenders Act. Referring to prior rulings, Singh maintained that Bhandari's stay in the UK could not be deemed unlawful, emphasizing that he has a legitimate right to reside there. He pointed out that the Government of India is bound by the UK court's judgment, which denied Bhandari's extradition. Bhandari is legally living in the UK, and in Singh, further contended that under the Fugitive Offenders Act, an individual can only be declared a fugitive if the scheduled offence--such as the ongoing black money case against Bhandari--exceeds a monetary threshold of Rs 100 crore. In February, the High Court of Justice in London ruled in favor of Sanjay Bhandari's appeal against extradition to India, citing concerns over his safety in Tihar prison. The court stated that he would face a real risk of extortion, accompanied by threatened or actual violence, from other prisoners and/or prison officials." Earlier this month, the UK High Court also rejected the Indian government's petition seeking permission to challenge its decision in Britain's Supreme Court. Sanjay Bhandari's counsel argued that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) misled the court by claiming the offence exceeded Rs 100 crore, despite the Income Tax Department's 2020 submission stating it was lower. He further noted that Bhandari, arrested on non-bailable warrants in the UK, has since been discharged by the UK High Court, with no fresh warrants pending against him. The Rouse Avenue court of Delhi has scheduled ED's rebuttal for May 3, following detailed arguments on the agency's plea to declare Bhandari a fugitive under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act. Bhandari's extradition was blocked by the UK High Court on human rights grounds, citing risks of extortion and violence at Tihar prison. The court found India's assurances insufficient to guarantee his safety, highlighting concerns about overcrowding, understaffing, and discrepancies in prison conditions. (ANI)
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