Delhi Court Declares Sanjay Bhandari Fugitive Economic Offender

A Delhi court has declared UK-based arms consultant Sanjay Bhandari a fugitive economic offender at the request of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), according to officials.

The decision was made under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act of 2018, amid serious charges that Bhandari had absconded to the UK in 2016. This followed a failed extradition request by India, denied by a UK court.

The ED initiated a criminal case against Bhandari and others in February 2017, based on a charge sheet from the Income Tax department under the 2015 anti-black money law, and advanced to filing a charge sheet against him in 2020.

(With inputs from agencies.)