Arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari has contested the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) attempt to label him a ‘fugitive economic offender’ in a black money case, citing a UK court ruling that denied his extradition to India. His legal team argued before a Delhi court that his stay in the UK is lawful and protected under British law.
Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for Bhandari, challenged the ED’s plea on Saturday before Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal. He claimed the application lacked clarity, did not comply with the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, and was procedurally flawed. Singh emphasized that Bhandari’s residence in the UK is legal, especially since the High Court of Justice in London rejected India’s extradition request, citing concerns over his safety in Indian custody.
In February 2025, the UK High Court ruled in Sanjay Bhandari’s favor, citing serious human rights concerns. The court concluded that Bhandari would face a threat of extortion and violence from fellow inmates or prison staff at Tihar Jail. Overcrowding, understaffing, and poor prison conditions were cited as factors making the Indian government’s assurances inadequate.
Singh argued that, according to the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, a person can only be designated a fugitive if the alleged offence involves more than Rs 100 crore. He pointed out that the ED had wrongly claimed Bhandari’s case crossed this threshold, while the Income Tax Department had earlier reported the amount to be lower in 2020.
The defense also noted that while Bhandari was earlier arrested in the UK on the basis of non-bailable warrants from India, he has since been discharged by the UK High Court, with no new warrants pending.
Adding to India’s legal setback, the UK High Court recently dismissed the Indian government’s request to escalate the extradition case to the UK Supreme Court.
The Delhi court has now scheduled the ED’s rebuttal arguments for May 3, where the agency will respond to the defense’s claims and continue its efforts to have Bhandari declared a fugitive under the law.
(With inputs from ANI)