India's Extradition Setback: The Case of Sanjay Bhandari

The Enforcement Directorate faced a setback in its efforts to extradite arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, as a UK court denied the appeal. The ED's move to declare him a fugitive remains pending before a Delhi court. Bhandari, linked to money laundering cases, also opposed the extradition based on a London High Court ruling.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) informed a Delhi court on Tuesday about the dismissal of its appeal against a UK court's decision, which denied the extradition of high-profile arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari to India.

This development took place during a hearing concerning a money laundering case involving Bhandari and others, with Special Judge Neelofer Abida Perveen presiding. The federal agency sought to declare Bhandari a 'fugitive', a decision pending before another Delhi court set to hear the matter on May 3.

Bhandari's counsel opposed this plea, referencing a London high court order that denied his extradition. The court's ruling, which cited human rights concerns, has also been leveraged by fugitives like Mehul Choksi in similar legal proceedings.

(With inputs from agencies.)