Chopper scam: SC stays HC order refusing to revoke Saxena’s approver status

The high court, in its verdict, had said that ED's plea before the trial court for revoking the approver status was not maintainable

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Delhi High Court order, which dismissed a plea by the Enforcement Directorate to revoke businessman Rajiv Saxena's status as an approver in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam.

A bench presided over by Chief Justice S A Bobde issued notice to Saxena, seeking his response on a petition filed by the ED against the June 8 order of the High Court.

Additional Solicitor General Aman Lekhi, representing ED, submitted that the High Court had committed an error by saying that pardon can be revoked after Saxena deposed as a witness. The bench said that there is a provision in the CrPC that if he fails to give any evidence then pardon can be withdrawn.

Saxena, a Dubai-based businessman, was extradited on January 31 last year in connection with the Rs 3,600-crore scam case relating to the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland.

In the High Court, ED had submitted that Saxena had undertaken to disclose all the facts related to the offence but he was not doing so. Therefore, Saxena’s approver status should be revoked, it said.

The ED moved the High Court after the trial court declined to entertain its plea to revoke Saxena's approver status.