Sanjay Bhandari: 2nd ED chargesheet against fugitive arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari
NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against fugitive defence dealer Sanjay Bhandari, naming two other accused — NRI businessman CC Thampi, who was arrested in 2020 by the agency in a money laundering case, and one S Chadha.
This is the second chargesheet filed against Bhandari who is engaged in a grim battle to defeat India’s effort for his extradition from the UK where he is currently based.He is wanted in India for allegedly receiving payoffs in several defence deals through his UAE-registered shell firms.
Thampi, a Dubai-based NRI businessman, was arrested by the ED in January 2020 in a money laundering case probing former Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra. He was held for not cooperating with the agency in connection with money laundering and acquiring undisclosed properties in Dubai, London and other foreign countries.
During his interrogation, Thampi claimed that it was Sonia Gandhi’s personal assistant PP Madhavan who introduced him to Vadra.
Investigators suspected Thampi to be a front for some politicians and managing their entities in Dubai, including Skylight Hospitality FZE and Skylight Investment FZE that later purchased London properties and a villa in Dubai.
After agencies started trailing Vadra’s connection with Thampi, the later transferred his 100% shareholding in Skylight Investment FZE, which consists of one share of 1,50,000 dirhams to the son of his step sister, Vadakkethala Cheru Geever, who now also owns through a shell company the London flat at 12 Ellorton House, Bryanston Square worth Rs 26 crore and the Dubai villa worth over Rs 14 crore.
This is the second chargesheet filed against Bhandari who is engaged in a grim battle to defeat India’s effort for his extradition from the UK where he is currently based.He is wanted in India for allegedly receiving payoffs in several defence deals through his UAE-registered shell firms.
Thampi, a Dubai-based NRI businessman, was arrested by the ED in January 2020 in a money laundering case probing former Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra. He was held for not cooperating with the agency in connection with money laundering and acquiring undisclosed properties in Dubai, London and other foreign countries.
During his interrogation, Thampi claimed that it was Sonia Gandhi’s personal assistant PP Madhavan who introduced him to Vadra.
Investigators suspected Thampi to be a front for some politicians and managing their entities in Dubai, including Skylight Hospitality FZE and Skylight Investment FZE that later purchased London properties and a villa in Dubai.
After agencies started trailing Vadra’s connection with Thampi, the later transferred his 100% shareholding in Skylight Investment FZE, which consists of one share of 1,50,000 dirhams to the son of his step sister, Vadakkethala Cheru Geever, who now also owns through a shell company the London flat at 12 Ellorton House, Bryanston Square worth Rs 26 crore and the Dubai villa worth over Rs 14 crore.
