AgustaWestland case: ED attaches assets of approver Rajiv Saxena

In March 2020, a special court rejected the ED’s application, saying it was “premature”. However, a week ago, the ED moved Delhi High Court to cancel Saxena’s bail. The matter is still ongoing.

In its provisional attachment order, the ED said that attached properties include a “villa in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, worth 20 million AED (Arab Emirates Dirhams) and balances in five Swiss bank accounts amounting to $45.55 million of Rajiv Saxena”.

According to the ED, its investigations have revealed that Saxena is a hawala operator who runs an accommodation entry business in Dubai. In the case of AgustaWestland, a Letter of Request to the Swiss Confederation was sent to restrain his Swiss bank accounts and ensure that Saxena did not shift or dispose of the suspected proceeds of crime, the ED said.

“Rajiv Saxena has admitted to laundering the proceeds of crime not only of the AgustaWestland deal, but also various other defence deals. The proceeds of crime have also been transferred to the personal accounts of Rajiv Saxena and his wife Shivani Saxena (also an accused in AgustaWestland case). In Moser Baer bank fraud case, proceeds of crime belonging to Deepak Puri amounting to $16.33 million have also been attached in the hands of Rajiv Saxena,” an ED statement said.