Meet Sanjay Bhandari: Declared fugitive economic offender under FEOA, who fled to UK in 2016
In their plea, the ED accused Sanjay Bhandari of money laundering and stated that he 'absconded' to the United Kingdom in 2016 following several investigative agencies began scrutinising his activities.
After this, ED filed a criminal case of money laundering against Bhandari and others in February 2017.
The Delhi Court ruling comes at a time when a UK court had turned down India's plea seeking his extradition. An observation in the UK high court's decision stated, 'Bhandari would be at real risk of extortion, torture or violence in Tihar jail, from other prisoners or prison officials."
In 2016, Bhandari "absconded" to the United Kingdom via Nepal and an Interpol red notice was issued against him in October 2017.
The ED and other government agencies sent two extradition requests against the fugitive businessman and it were certified by the then UK home secretary Priti Patel in June 2020. Bhandari was arrested by British authorities on 15 July 2020, but was released on bail pending extradition proceedings.
In 2022, a Westminster court subsequently ordered his extradition to India. Bhandari then challenged this ruling in High Court, and on 28 February 2025, the UK high court discharged him in the extradition request. The court on 4 April even rejected India's plea for his extradition.
According to the ED and the Income Tax department, Bhandari had undisclosed foreign income worth ₹ 655 crore, on which he evaded tax worth ₹ 196 crore, reported Hindustan Times.
Also, Bhandari has been under CBI probe since 2019 on charges of corruption in a ₹ 2,985-crore deal to procure 75 PC-7 trainer aircraft from Swiss plane maker Pilatus Aircraft.
Between 2009 and 2016, Bhandari allegedly deposited huge amounts of money in bank accounts of overseas shell companies and also invested in properties in the UAE and the UK.
The CBI also charged him with allegedly laundering money for properties reportedly linked to former Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra in London. In this, NRI businessman C C Thampi was arrested by ED in January 2020.
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