A Delhi Court on Friday sent Sterling Biotech Director Rajbhushan Omprakash Dixit to one day custody of Enforcement Directorate, which arrested him on Thursday night in connection with the Rs 5000 crore bank fraud cases and money laundering charges.
This is the third arrest in the case. The agency had earlier this month arrested a former Director of Andhra Bank, Anup Prakash Garg, and a Delhi-based businessman Gagan Dhawan in November last year.
Metropolitan Magistrate Sumeet Anand sent Dixit to custody after special public prosecutor Nitesh Rana, appearing for the ED, said his custodial interrogation was required. The ED had sought 14 days custody for the accused. The Magistrate, who was on special duty on Friday, directed the agency to produced the accused before the court concerned on Satruday.
While Garg is currently in judicial custody, Dhawan was granted bail in January 4. All three were arrested under the Prevention of Money laundering Act (PMlA).
They were named as accused in the cases by the ED and the CBI. The ED registered a money laundering case in this instance after taking cognisance of an earlier CBI FIR.
CBI has registered two FIRs in the controversial Sterling Biotech related cases. First was against the three Income Tax Commissioners for accepting regular payouts from the company. Their names were found in the diary entries of the company in 2011, seized during the raid.
CBI's Special Director Rakesh Kumar Asthana's name was also found in the diaries seized from Baroda based Sterling Biotech. Asthana was then Surat Police Commissioner. Citing this, CBI Director Alok Verma had objected to Asthana's promotion and continuance in the CBI. But CVC rejected CBI Director's objection.
The CBI FIR also named Income Tax officers for accepting bribe from Congress leader Ahmed Patel's son-in-law Irfan Siddiqi. Already arrested Delhi business man and real estate dealer Gagan Dhawan is also considered as close to many political heavyweights. All these names figured in the diaries seized from the Sterling Biotech, which belongs to Sandesara Group. .The second FIR was the cheating of PSU Banks consortium led by Andhra Bank of more than Rs 5000 crores by fake bills and balance sheets and trade volumes. The entire amount became NPA later.
The CBI had booked Sterling Biotech, its directors Chetan Jayantilal Sandesara, Dipti Chetan Sandesara, Rajbhushan Omprakash Dixit, Nitin Jayantilal Sandesara and Vilas Joshi, chartered accountant Hemant
Hathi, Garg and some unidentified persons in connection with the bank fraud case.