NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Tuesday asked the wife of lobbyist Deepak Talwar, arrested in a money laundering case, to approach a trial court with her plea for direction to the ED to quiz her at her residence and not the agency’s office.
Justice A K Chawla noted that the anticipatory bail plea of Deepa Talwar is listed before a special court here for April 29 and she should first exhaust the remedy there.
The counsel for Deepa Talwar, 62, withdrew the plea with a liberty to approach the special court with the same prayer after which the high court said the petition is “dismissed as withdrawn”.
Deepa Talwar, in her plea, said she was not named in the FIR lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the CBI either as an accused or otherwise and that she has never received any notice to join the investigation with the CBI at any point of time.
The plea said the ED issued summons on February 21 and March 4, asking her to join the probe and to appear in person at Lok Nayak Bhawan here.
It said Deepa Talwar has replied to the summons through her counsel in which she undertook to join and cooperate with the investigation in accordance with the law.
The court was informed by senior advocate Vikram Chaudhari that the agency had on Monday replied to her and further issued summons to her to appear before it on Tuesday.
Advocates D P Singh and Amit Mahajan, representing the ED, said the Deepa Talwar is already protected by the special court’s order till April 29 and nothing will be done against her till then.
Deepa Talwar’s plea said she filed an anticipatory bail plea in the trial court which had on April 11 directed that her liberty would be protected and no coercive measures would be initiated by the ED against her incase she joins the probe within two weeks from the date of issuance of a notice under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
It further said on April 15, she received summons at her residence, directing her to appear before the respondents at their office on April 22, and on April 20, she returned here from abroad with the intent to join the probe with the ED.
“Despite the petitioner through her replies time and again apprising ED authorities that as per the law of the land, a woman cannot be called to the office of a law enforcement agency in terms of Section 160 of CrPC, the respondents most unfortunately are adamant and not agreeing to abide by the law,” the petition alleged.
Deepa Talwar sought court’s direction to the ED that she be quizzed at her residence here and if needed, her statement be recorded there and not in the police station or agency’s office.
Deepak Talwar has been accused of criminal conspiracy, forgery and under various other sections of the Foreign Contributions Regulations Act for allegedly diverting Rs 90.72 crore worth of foreign funds meant for ambulances and other articles received by his NGO from Europe’s leading missile manufacturing company.
His role in some aviation deals during the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) regime at the Centre is under scanner as well.
Deepak Talwar was booked by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in criminal cases of corruption, while the Income Tax Department charged him with tax evasion. (AGENCIES)
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