Latest news with #SanjayBhandari
New Indian Express
23-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
UK judge rejects plea on extradition of Sanjay Bhandari, ED tells court
NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) informed a Delhi court on Tuesday that a UK court has rejected its appeal for the extradition of arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari to India. The ED also stated that its request to declare Bhandari a 'fugitive' remains under consideration by another Delhi court, scheduled for hearing on May 3. The ED gave this update to Special Judge Neelofer Abida Perveen during a hearing in a money laundering case involving Bhandari and others. Judge Perveen took note of the statement made by ED's special public prosecutor Naveen Kumar Matta and adjourned the case for further hearing on May 26. In April, Bhandari opposed the ED's application to designate him a 'fugitive' in a black money case. He argued that his stay in the UK is legal, as the London High Court had refused his extradition to India. His counsel, Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, contended that the ED's plea was unclear, improperly filed, and did not meet the legal standards under the Fugitive Offenders Act. In February, the High Court of Justice in London ruled against Bhandari's extradition, citing concerns about his safety in India's Tihar prison. The court noted that Bhandari would be at serious risk of extortion and violence from both prisoners and officials if he were sent to India. Earlier this month, the UK High Court also rejected the Indian government's request to challenge the decision in Britain's Supreme Court. Bhandari's legal team argued that the ED had misled the court by claiming the alleged offence exceeded ₹100 crore, even though the Income Tax Department had stated in 2020 that the amount was actually less. Bhandari's counsel further noted that although Bhandari was arrested under non-bailable warrants in the UK, he had been discharged by the UK High Court, with no new warrants pending against him. The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has scheduled the ED's reply for May 3, after hearing detailed arguments on the agency's plea to label Bhandari a fugitive under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
ED informs Delhi court about UK judge's order denying Sanjay Bhandari's extradition to India
The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday apprised a Delhi court about the dismissal of its appeal against a UK court order denying the extradition of high profile arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari to India . The ED made the submission before Special Judge Neelofer Abida Perveen during the hearing of a money laundering case against Bhandari and others. The federal probe agency informed the judge that its application seeking to declare Bhandari a "fugitive" is currently pending before another Delhi court, which will hear the matter on May 3. The judge noted the submission made by ED's special public prosecutor Naveen Kumar Matta and posted the matter for May 26 for further proceedings in the case. 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Husband Sold Son's Car After Bad Grades. Parents Turned Pale When He Did This As Revenge Crowdy Fan Undo Bhandari's counsel on April 19 opposed ED's plea before the court seeking to declare him a "fugitive", claiming that his stay in the UK was legal since his extradition to India was denied by the London high court. The London high court's order in Bhandari's case was cited by an England court on April 11 to turn down the Indian government's request to extradite another accused in an alleged multi-crore rice buying scam. Live Events According to reports, fugitive Indian diamantaire Mehul Choksi, arrested in Belgium recently, has also cited the HC order to oppose his extradition for a trial to India in connection to the alleged Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud. Bhandari's name has also cropped up in ED's ongoing probe in a money laundering case against Robert Vadra, the brother-in-law of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The High Court of Justice, London, UK in February allowed Bhandari's appeal against his extradition to face charges of alleged tax evasion and money laundering, saying that in Tihar jail here he would be at "real risk" of extortion, accompanied by threat or "actual violence" from other prisoners and prison officials. The High Court of Justice, UK earlier this month also dismissed the petition filed by the government of India seeking permission to appeal in Britain's Supreme Court against its order. The London high court allowed Bhandari's appeal on human rights grounds. The court also ordered his "discharge" from the then UK home secretary Suella Braverman's extradition order to face criminal proceedings in India based on a Westminster Magistrate's Court ruling in November 2022.
NDTV
22-04-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
UK Court Denies Probe Agency's Appeal To Extradite Sanjay Bhandari To India
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday apprised a Delhi court about the dismissal of its appeal against a UK court order denying the extradition of high profile arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari to India. The ED made the submission before Special Judge Neelofer Abida Perveen during the hearing of a money laundering case against Bhandari and others. The federal probe agency informed the judge that its application seeking to declare Bhandari a "fugitive" is currently pending before another Delhi court, which will hear the matter on May 3. The judge noted the submission made by ED's special public prosecutor Naveen Kumar Matta and posted the matter for May 26 for further proceedings in the case. Bhandari's counsel on April 19 opposed ED's plea before the court seeking to declare him a "fugitive", claiming that his stay in the UK was legal since his extradition to India was denied by the London high court. The London high court's order in Bhandari's case was cited by an England court on April 11 to turn down the Indian government's request to extradite another accused in an alleged multi-crore rice buying scam. According to reports, fugitive Indian diamantaire Mehul Choksi, arrested in Belgium recently, has also cited the HC order to oppose his extradition for a trial to India in connection to the alleged Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud. Bhandari's name has also cropped up in ED's ongoing probe in a money laundering case against Robert Vadra, the brother-in-law of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The High Court of Justice, London, UK in February allowed Bhandari's appeal against his extradition to face charges of alleged tax evasion and money laundering, saying that in Tihar jail here he would be at "real risk" of extortion, accompanied by threat or "actual violence" from other prisoners and prison officials. The High Court of Justice, UK earlier this month also dismissed the petition filed by the government of India seeking permission to appeal in Britain's Supreme Court against its order. The London high court allowed Bhandari's appeal on human rights grounds. The court also ordered his "discharge" from the then UK home secretary Suella Braverman's extradition order to face criminal proceedings in India based on a Westminster Magistrate's Court ruling in November 2022.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Starmer's search for football watchdog chair goes into extra-time
The appointment of the inaugural chair of English football's new watchdog has been thrown into fresh uncertainty after Whitehall officials resumed contact with applicants who did not make it onto a final shortlist. Sky News has learnt that the preferred candidate to chair the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) is now "unlikely" to be drawn from a group of three contenders interviewed months ago. The search process has not been officially reopened, and insiders said the £130,000-a-year post was not expected to be readvertised. They acknowledged, however, that a shortlist including former Aston Villa Football Club chief executive Christian Purslow would probably not produce the chosen candidate. Sky News revealed in recent weeks that the other contenders were Sanjay Bhandari, who chairs the anti-racism football charity Kick It Out, and Professor Sir Ian Kennedy, who chaired the new parliamentary watchdog established after the MPs expenses scandal. The delay to the appointment of the IFR's inaugural chair will do little to dampen recent speculation that Sir Keir Starmer wants to pare back the powers of the football regulator amid a broader clampdown on Britain's economic watchdogs. Both 10 Downing Street and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have sought to dismiss the speculation, with insiders insisting that the IFR will be established as originally envisaged. The establishment of the regulator, which will be based in Manchester, is among the principal elements of legislation progressing through parliament. The Football Governance Bill has just completed its journey through the House of Lords and will be introduced in the Commons shortly, according to a DCMS spokesman. The establishment of the regulator, which was conceived by the previous Conservative government in the wake of the furore over the failed European Super League project, has triggered deep unrest in English football. Steve Parish, the chairman of Premier League side Crystal Palace, told a recent sports industry conference that the watchdog "wants to interfere in all of the things we don't need them to interfere in and help with none of the things we actually need help with". "We have a problem that we're constantly being told that we're not a business and [that] we're part of the fabric of communities," he is reported to have said. "At the same time, we're…being treated to the nth degree like a business." Interviews for the chair of the football regulator took place in November, with a previous recruitment process curtailed by the calling of last year's general election. Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, will sign off on the appointment of a preferred candidate, with the chosen individual expected to face a pre-appointment hearing in front of the Commons culture, media and sport select committee. It forms part of a process that represents the most fundamental shake-up in the oversight of English football in the game's history. The establishment of the body comes with the top tier of the professional game gripped by civil war, with Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City at the centre of a number of legal cases over its financial dealings. The government has dropped a previous stipulation that the regulator should have regard to British foreign and trade policy when determining the appropriateness of a new club owner. "We do not comment on speculation," the DCMS said when asked about the process to recruit a chair of the football watchdog. "No appointment has been made and the recruitment process for [IFR] chair is ongoing."
Sky News
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Starmer's search for football watchdog chair goes into extra-time
The appointment of the inaugural chair of English football's new watchdog has been thrown into fresh uncertainty after Whitehall officials resumed contact with applicants who did not make it onto a final shortlist. Sky News has learnt that the preferred candidate to chair the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) is now "unlikely" to be drawn from a group of three contenders interviewed months ago. The search process has not been officially reopened, and insiders said the £130,000-a-year post was not expected to be readvertised. They acknowledged, however, that a shortlist including former Aston Villa Football Club chief executive Christian Purslow would probably not produce the chosen candidate. Sky News revealed in recent weeks that the other contenders were Sanjay Bhandari, who chairs the anti-racism football charity Kick It Out, and Professor Sir Ian Kennedy, who chaired the new parliamentary watchdog established after the MPs expenses scandal. The delay to the appointment of the IFR's inaugural chair will do little to dampen recent speculation that Sir Keir Starmer wants to pare back the powers of the football regulator amid a broader clampdown on Britain's economic watchdogs. Both 10 Downing Street and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have sought to dismiss the speculation, with insiders insisting that the IFR will be established as originally envisaged. The establishment of the regulator, which will be based in Manchester, is among the principal elements of legislation progressing through parliament. The Football Governance Bill has just completed its journey through the House of Lords and will be introduced in the Commons shortly, according to a DCMS spokesman. The establishment of the regulator, which was conceived by the previous Conservative government in the wake of the furore over the failed European Super League project, has triggered deep unrest in English football. Steve Parish, the chairman of Premier League side Crystal Palace, told a recent sports industry conference that the watchdog "wants to interfere in all of the things we don't need them to interfere in and help with none of the things we actually need help with". "We have a problem that we're constantly being told that we're not a business and [that] we're part of the fabric of communities," he is reported to have said. "At the same time, we're…being treated to the nth degree like a business." Interviews for the chair of the football regulator took place in November, with a previous recruitment process curtailed by the calling of last year's general election. Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, will sign off on the appointment of a preferred candidate, with the chosen individual expected to face a pre-appointment hearing in front of the Commons culture, media and sport select committee. It forms part of a process that represents the most fundamental shake-up in the oversight of English football in the game's history. The establishment of the body comes with the top tier of the professional game gripped by civil war, with Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City at the centre of a number of legal cases over its financial dealings. The government has dropped a previous stipulation that the regulator should have regard to British foreign and trade policy when determining the appropriateness of a new club owner. "We do not comment on speculation," the DCMS said when asked about the process to recruit a chair of the football watchdog.
