Mumbai Court Allows Raj Kundra to Travel Abroad Despite ED Objections
A special court in Mumbai has granted permission to businessman Raj Kundra, an accused in a money laundering case, to travel abroad to multiple countries between June and July for business purposes. The decision was made despite strong opposition from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The ED had strongly opposed Kundra's travel plea during the court proceedings. The investigative agency argued that allowing the international travel created a possibility of Kundra absconding and jumping his bail conditions. However, the judge rejected the objections raised by the agency, noting that the Look Out Circular previously issued against Kundra had already been cancelled by the Economic Offences Wing.
In the ruling, the judge remarked that there was nothing on record to show that the applicant had misused the liberty granted to him. The court emphasized that the right to travel abroad is an aspect of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India.
Under the court's order, Kundra is permitted to travel to several international destinations, including Hong Kong, Dubai, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Melbourne. The permitted travel window spans various dates between June 7 and July 27.
The permission comes with several strict conditions. The court directed Kundra to deposit a security amount of Rs 1 lakh. Furthermore, he must furnish a complete itinerary to the investigating officer before leaving India, which must include his temporary residential addresses abroad, reachable phone numbers, and a working email ID.
Upon returning to India, Kundra must immediately report to the investigating officer and submit a compliance report to the court. The court also directed that Kundra must attend to the investigating agency immediately if required, and he must return to India if the trial reaches the stage of framing charges.
The ED's money laundering case against Kundra originated from multiple FIRs registered by the Maharashtra and Delhi Police. These complaints were filed against Variable Tech Private Limited and several individuals, including the now-deceased Amit Bhardwaj. The ED alleges that the promoters of the company collected vast sums in Bitcoins from the public by promising a 10 percent monthly return. Instead of using these funds for Bitcoin mining as promised, the promoters reportedly cheated investors and concealed the assets in obscure online wallets.
