Corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar sent to ED custody

New Delhi : Hours after his extradition from United Arab Emirates (UAE), a special court on Thursday sent corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar to seven-day Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody.

Talwar, who was extradited on Wednesday night, was presented before special judge Santosh Snehi who granted ED to keep him under its custody for seven days to probe charges of money laundering and brokering aviation sector deals in collusion with UPA government.

After his brief questioning, the ED presented him before the court.

Talwar had fled to Dubai after the Indian agencies started probing his role in concealing income of more than Rs 1,000 crore as well as facilitating aviation contracts during the UPA regime. He is accused of brokering aviation sector deals, getting government approval in foreign companies, securing favours for clients and having ties with UPA functionaries.

He was extradited here in a special aircraft along with AgustaWestland co-accused Rajiv Saxena. They reached the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport early Thursday.

Sources said a two-member ED team headed by an Inspector General-rank officer and officials of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) accompanied both the accused in the aircraft.