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.