SC stays Delhi HC order permitting Rajeev Saxena to travel abroad for treatment

New Delhi, June 26: The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the Delhi High Court order permitting Rajeev Saxena, an approver in a money laundering case related to the AgustaWestland chopper scam, to go abroad for treatment for blood cancer and other ailments.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had challenged the June 10 Delhi High Court order permitting him to visit the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Europe from June 25 to July 24. The high court had given relief to Saxena, noting that he had already been granted bail on medical grounds, before being pardoned and made an approver.

Senior lawyer and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for the ED, reportedly told the apex court that certain new facts had surfaced on alleged violations of I-T and Black money laws. Mehta said the question of whether Saxena would return to India or not has become immaterial and the order permitting him to go abroad needed to be examined in the light of fresh facts.

The bench, which stayed the High Court order for three weeks, also asked the director of AIIMS to examine Saxena's mental and physical health and file a report within three weeks.

A director of two Dubai-based firms -- UHY Saxena and Matrix Holdings -- Saxena was one of the accused named in the charge sheet filed by the ED in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland scam.