ED seeks 14 day remand of Khan

A day after the Enforcement Directorate(ED's) handling of the Hasan Ali case invited rebuke by Principal Sessions Court judge M L Tahaliyani, the ED today presented, what it said was evidence to the court in a sealed cover. The judge had earlier passed the remarks as the agency had failed to make a proper case against Khan. The ED is seeking a remand of 14 days for Khan on the basis of the evidence it has presented.

According to Rajiv Awasthi, a Delhi lawyer, who appeared for the ED, the probe was moving in "a positive direction." He stressed the need for Khan's remand to "bridge the gap in the investigation".

Awasthi added that Khan had been arrested by the ED as he had not cooperated in the probe during which he was called to the office of the ED 29 times, 18 of those for answering questions relating to violations of Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

"We have to question him about certain links, documents and statements. We also have to submit a status report to the Supreme Court on March 18," the ED counsel said.

Citing his links to international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, the ED said the links required to be probed as it had a bearing on national security as well.

Khan is facing charges of stashing $8 billion in the UBS, Switzerland. The bank however claims that documents seized by the investigating agencies during raids on his premises could be forged and said it had no relationship with him.