First Arrest In VVIP Chopper Scam: ED Arrests Businessman Gautam Khaitan


NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate carried out its first arrest in the money laundering probe in the 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal, taking into custody Gautam Khaitan, an ex-board member of an accused company.

The agency, which is trying to track the alleged kickbacks of Rs 360 crore from the deal, arrested Khaitan, a businessman and advocate, after searches were conducted at two of his premises in New Delhi on Monday.

“Khaitan has been arrested under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA). He is required for further detailed interrogation in the case,” people from ED familiar with the matter said.

The agency had seized jewellery worth Rs 1 crore and impounded some “important” financial documents from Khaitan’s premises.

This is the first big action by ED in this case after it registered a criminal FIR (first information report) in the deal in July against Khaitan, former Indian Air Force (IAF) chief SP Tyagi and 19 others in the VVIP chopper deal to probe the alleged kickbacks of Rs 360 crore.

Khaitan was on the board of Chandigarh-based Aeromatrix Info Solutions Pvt. Ltd, which is allegedly a front company for the financial dealings of the chopper deal. According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and other agencies, they had detected that funds for the particular deal were allegedly routed through this firm and few others.

A reference to Khaitan was also reportedly made in the Italian prosecutor’s report filed in a court in Italy. Khaitan has refuted all the allegations made against him. The ED had registered a case in this deal under PMLA, taking cognizance of a more-than-a-year-old CBI FIR.
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Source: PTI