Delhi High Court to Hear Sanjay Bhandari’s Petition Against ‘Fugitive Economic Offender’ Label on August 8
The Delhi High Court has scheduled the hearing of UK-based arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari’s petition for August 8. Bhandari has moved the court challenging a trial court’s order that declared him a “fugitive economic offender”.
Additionally, the High Court refused to stay the ongoing proceedings before the trial court and rejected the plea made by Bhandari’s legal team in this regard.
Special counsel for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Advocate Zoheb Hossain, urged the court to hear the matter on merits and deliver a final verdict.
Earlier this week, Justice Girish Katpalia of the Delhi High Court had recused himself from hearing Bhandari’s plea. As a result, the case was sent back to the Chief Justice for assignment to a different bench.
During the hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal appeared on behalf of Bhandari, while Advocate Zoheb Hossain represented the ED.
Arguing in court, Sibal said, “Once I am declared a fugitive, I lose the right to seek legal remedies,” and requested the court to put a hold on the trial court’s order. He further argued that with the FEO (Fugitive Economic Offender) status, Bhandari’s properties would be liable for confiscation, making a stay on the order necessary.
The ED, however, raised strong objections to the plea. Advocate Hossain contended that a stay on the trial court’s decision cannot be granted just on request. “The main aim of the FEO Act is to ensure this individual returns to India and faces the law,” Hossain said, opposing even the issuance of a notice on the stay application.
Earlier in July, a Delhi Special Court had declared Bhandari a Fugitive Economic Offender under the FEO Act. The order was passed by Additional Sessions Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal based on a petition filed by the Enforcement Directorate. The agency had claimed that Bhandari had deliberately avoided court proceedings in India and held undeclared foreign assets worth over ₹100 crore.
