The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed for three weeks a Delhi High Court order allowing Rajeev Saxena, an approver in a money-laundering case related to the AgustaWestland chopper scam, to go abroad for treatment of blood cancer and other ailments.
A vacation bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and BR Gavai also issued a notice to Saxena on an appeal filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging the 10 June Delhi High Court order permitting him to visit the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Europe from 25 June to 24 July.
The bench also asked the AIIMS director to examine Saxena’s mental and physical health and file a report within three weeks.
It directed Rajeev Saxena’s counsel to seek instructions on whether his sister and sister-in-law were willing to stand surety for him by depositing Rs 5 crore each as a guarantee for allowing him to go abroad for treatment of blood cancer and other ailments.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, said certain new facts with regard to other offences have come to light and the CBI is formally going to register an FIR against Saxena shortly.
He 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 ED had earlier objected to Saxena’s plea saying he has no roots in India and he may not return if permitted to go. It said treatment for Saxena’s ailments was available in India and the approver was not only disclosing his role in the crime but also revealing the culpability of others in the corruption case.
A director of two Dubai-based firms — UHY Saxena and Matrix Holdings — Rajeev Saxena was one of the accused named in the charge sheet filed by the ED in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland scam.