AgustaWestland: ED wants to make approver Rajiv Saxena an accused now

New Delhi, Dec 05: The Enforcement Directorate submitted before the Supreme Court that it has decided to make businessman Rajiv Saxena an accused in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam.

Saxena, it may be recalled was extradited from UAE last year.

The ED said it wants to make him an accused again after he breached the understanding for being made an approver. The ED told a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde that if pardon could be granted to an accused on the latter's promise to bare all details of a crime, the same could be revoked if he did not honour the solemn promise.

The ED went to the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court said that the prosecutor's certificate revoking grant of pardon has to be mandatorily preceded by recording of the approver's statement during the trial.

While staying the order, the SC issued notice to Saxena. The ED submitted that Saxena had clearly breached the conditions of pardon by giving false statements under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.