VVIP choppers case: Kamal Nath’s nephew gives slip to ED

Ratul Puri, the nephew of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, is reported to have given a slip to ED investigators when he was summoned for questioning in connection with the VVIP choppers money laundering case here, officials said Saturday.

They said Mr. Puri was to be confronted with some evidence during questioning at an Enforcement Directorate office here on Friday. However, Mr. Puri sought some break time from the investigating officer of the case to go to the washroom but slipped away, officials alleged.

It is understood that agency officials then tried to call him over his mobile phone but it was off. The agency is now mulling to summon him again for questioning, they said.

Mr.



Puri, chairman of Hindustan Power Projects, has been grilled by the agency in this case in the past too. He is the son of Nita and Deepak Puri, the CMD of optical storage media firm Moser Baer. Ms. Puri is Mr. Nath’s sister.

The ₹3,600 crore deal to purchase AgustaWestland choppers for VVIPs was scrapped by India over allegations of corruption and kickbacks being paid in the deal.

The ED and the CBI are probing the case and have already filed multiple charge sheets in the case.

Meanwhile, Mr. Puri approached a Delhi court on Saturday seeking anticipatory bail in a money laundering case related to the chopper scam. He had said he was cooperating in the probe and there was no need of his arrest.