Maharashtra govt to CBI, ED: Take custody of Wadhawans

MUMBAI/PUNE: State home minister Anil Deshmukh said on Wednesday that the government has written to the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to take the custody of the Wadhawan family as their quarantine period has ended. The 14-day period ended on Wednesday afternoon.
Satara police communicated to both CBI and ED that they will hand over the custody of Wadhawan brothers Dheeraj and Kapil on Thursday.
Satara superintendent of police Tejswini Satpute told TOI, “We have communicated this to CBI and ED as both are wanted in multiple cases.”
Earlier on Saturday, the special lockdown court had stayed non-bailable warrants issued against and Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL) promoters Dheeraj and Kapil Wadhawan till May 5 in the Yes Bank case registered by the CBI. This granted them relief from arrest in the case till May 5. The warrants were issued by the court on March 17.
The court directed both to not leave the jurisdiction of Satara district without the district collector’s permission. It also said in case of an medical emergency, they could be grante permission to travel only to Mumbai.
Also, on Wednesday, Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan moved anticipatory bail pleas before the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court. The court directed the ED to not take coercive steps against them and to file their reply on Thursday. This is in connection with the ED’s case against them in the Yes Bank matter.
Twenty-three members of the Wadhawan family violated the national lockdown and travelled to Mahabaleshwar from Khandala to after letter was issued to them by Amitabh Gupta, principal secretary of the home department. They were detained by the Satara police on April 8 and sent to institutional quarantine in April 9. Deshmukh said that the permission given by Gupta was a “grave mistake”.
“We’ve already sent letters to CBI and ED on Tuesday, which I will share on social media. Until any of the agencies takes their charge, Wadhawans would remain in the Maharashtra government’s custody.” said Deshmukh in Nagpur during a Facebook address.The government will not allow anyone to flee the country, said Deshumkh.
Gupta has been sent on compulsory leave and an inquiry has been constituted against him under Additional Chief Secretary, Manoj Saunik.
Before the lockdown, the CBI had searched Wadhawan premises at different locations, including Mahabaleshwar but in vain. Subsequently, CBI approached the court to issue non-bailable warrant against the brothers. The enforcement directorate (ED) and CBI investigating the Wadhawans in two separate cases they have registered against Kapoor.
In one of the case, it is alleged that Yes Bank then headed by Kapoor gave Rs 4,500 crore loan to DHFL group. In lieu of that, DHFL group paid Rs 600 crore kickback to Kapoor in form of loan to his daughter’s company-DOIT Urban Ventures. In the second case, related with the state owned Utter Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) employees provident fund amounts investments in scam tainted DHFL was diverted into several dummy companies. The Wadhawans are also accused in a money laundering case, the ED is investigating against late drug smuggler Iqbal Memon alias Mirchi.