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This is an archive article published on August 22, 2019

Court refuses to cancel non-bailable warrant against Ratul Puri

On Tuesday, the High Court rejected Puri’s anticipatory bail plea in the AgustaWestland case, saying his “custodial interrogation” was necessary.

ratul puri, ratul puri arrested, ed arrests ratul puri, delhi hc rejects ratul puri bail plea, vvip chopper scam, kamal nath nephew arrested, mp cm nephew arrested, agustawestland case Businessman Ratul Puri is the nephew of Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath. (File/Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

A Delhi court on Wednesday refused to cancel a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Ratul Puri, the nephew of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, in a money laundering case related to the AgustaWestland chopper scam. This comes a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Puri in a fresh case of money laundering linked to an alleged Rs 354-crore bank loan fraud.

On Tuesday, the High Court rejected Puri’s anticipatory bail plea in the AgustaWestland case, saying his “custodial interrogation” was necessary. Later in the day, Puri was sent to ED custody for six days by a special court in Delhi.

On Wednesday, special judge Arvind Kumar dismissed Puri’s application for cancellation of the NBW, saying there was no ground to grant the relief.

Puri had approached the court, saying there was no need for the NBW as he was willing to cooperate in the probe.

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“I do not find any ground for cancellation of NBW issued against accused Ratul Puri. The application filed by accused Ratul Puri for cancellation of NBW issued against him is dismissed,” the judge said.

The court took note of the fact that Puri had not joined the probe on different dates despite repeated notices of the ED. “Accused had left the ED office on July 26 without signing his statement. He has made himself unavailable and his whereabouts could not be ascertained,” the court observed.

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The counsel for Puri told the court that his client has joined the investigation and his statement under Section 50 of PMLA Act was recorded, and that Puri sent two e-mails to the investigating officer that he was available to join the investigation.

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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