Delhi court allows ED to question Talwar in money laundering case

Deepak Talwar (File)

A Delhi court on Friday allowed the Enforcement Directorate(ED) to question corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar in Tihar jail in a fresh money laundering case related to the purchase of 43 aircraft by erstwhile Indian Airlines from France’s Airbus Industries in 2005.

According to ED, when the proposal to buy the aircraft from Airbus was sent to the Cabinet, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) put a condition that the aircraft manufacturer would have to build training facilities and MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) centres at a cost of USD 175 million. But when the purchase order was placed with Airbus by Indian Airlines, this condition was dropped.

“During the enquiry it was found that Airbus had paid Rs 50 crores in the bank acount of M/s Aucutus Capital pvt ltd in Singapore bank, where Deepak Talwar is the beneficial owner. Further, Advantage India, an NGO controlled and beneficially owned by Deepak Talwar has received an amount of Rs 92 crores,” the ED application stated.