No objection if Rajeev Saxena becomes approver: Enforcement Directorate

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate told a Delhi court on Thursday that it has no objection if Rajeev Saxena, an alleged middleman, is allowed to turn approver in the VVIP chopper deal case.The ED moved an application seeking pardon for Saxena.
The ED application said, “The testimony of Saxena is essential to unravel the truth in the commission of the grave economic offence herein so that the guilt of other accused persons concerned could be brought to home.” It also said Saxena may be tendered pardon “subject to the condition of him deposing true and correct facts pertaining to the crime as a prosecution witness”.

The application went on to say that Saxena’s conduct shows that he is willing to disclose the whole set of circumstances in the case “which were within his knowledge pertaining to the offence of money laundering herein and the role of various persons involved in the commission of the said offence, duly highlighting the degree of his culpability and his relation with the other persons involved in the commission of the offence”.

Saxena recorded his judicial confession on March 6. ET reported on Thursday that Saxena in his confessional statement has revealed the “modus operandi” adopted in routing kickbacks allegedly paid for swinging the deal in favour of British manufacturer AgustaWestland.

Saxena has revealed details of the number of companies created by him, allegedly after being asked by advocate Gautam Khaitan, also a co-accused, to park and route the kickbacks.

Also, Saxena is believed to have disclosed his “link” with another accused, Christian Michel and details of the payments made to him, people with direct knowledge of the matter said. The role of two other individuals, which are currently under the scanner of the ED, has also been confirmed by Saxena in his confession before the magistrate.

One of the two people is the nephew of a top Congress leader while the other allegedly had in his possession handwritten diaries detailing the kickbacks received for the VVIP chopper deal. The ED claims to be in possession of “incriminating documentation” establishing the involvement of the duo in the scandal.