Businessman gets bail in Agusta Westland case being probed by ED

A Delhi court granted bail to Anoop Kumar Gupta, saying the ED’s contention that he may abscond ‘does not appear to have much substance’.

2 min readNew DelhiApr 5, 2021 07:04 PM IST

There are 53 accused in the case and more than 200 witnesses. (Representational Image)

A Delhi court Monday granted bail to businessman Anoop Kumar Gupta in the Agusta Westland money laundering case, being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Special Judge Arvind Kumar granted bail to Gupta, observing that “the contention of Enforcement Directorate that accused may abscond does not appear to have much substance.”

According to the ED, Gupta “through his companies has committed the offence of money laundering in respect of proceeds of crime to the tune of USD 24,624,298.”

The court was told that M/s IDS Tunisia has received proceeds of crime to the tune of Euro 24.37 Million from M/s Agusta Westland and this was further transferred to M/s Interstellar Technologies Limited, Mauritius. “Part of the proceeds of crime received in RAKGT was transferred to M/s KRBL Limited.” Gupta was the joint Managing Director of M/s KRBL Limited.

There are 53 accused in the case and more than 200 witnesses. A number of accused persons, based in foreign countries, are yet to be served, the court said, adding, “The investigation by ED is still going on and ED has yet to receive documents through Letter Rogatories. The investigation will take time to complete. The accused is in custody since 29.01.2021.”

The court said “it is not the case of ED that further recovery is to be made from the accused. Even otherwise if the accused, at any stage, is required for investigation, he can be called to join investigation.”

The court also noted that “co-accused having similar or greater role than the present accused have already been enlarged on bail.”

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“Some of the co-accused have not been arrested by ED at all, and complaint and supplementary complaints have been filed against these accused persons without arrest. The applicant Anoop Kumar Gupta is not the accused in CBI case registered for predicate offences,” the court said.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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