Fugitive Economic Offender Status Declared for Sanjay Bhandari

Sanjay Bhandari, the UK-based arms consultant, has been officially declared a fugitive economic offender by a Delhi court, a decision that empowers the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to seize his assets worth several crores. District Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal made this ruling, which follows the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act of 2018, marking a significant development in Bhandari's ongoing legal issues.

The court's order poses substantial challenges for Bhandari, who fled to London in 2016 amid an income tax raid. With the recent UK court ruling against his extradition, his return to India seems improbable. Despite his legal team's assertions of his lawful residency in the UK, the Indian court maintained its stance, underscoring that unresolved legal infractions back home could not be overlooked.

As the ED investigates further, especially concerning Bhandari's alleged links to Robert Vadra, this case underscores India's pursuit of justice against economic offenders. In addition to Bhandari, infamous figures like Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi also face similar charges under the FEO Act, which targets economic crimes surpassing Rs 100 crore.

(With inputs from agencies.)