Rs 3,600 cr VVIP chopper scandal: Court grants ED's plea for segregation

A local court on Saturday granted the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) plea to segregate the trial in the ₹3,600-cr VVIP chopper scandal. The ED had sought the separation of trials for accused individuals who have joined the probe and those who have either evaded summons or failed to participate in the probe. Some accused opposed the request.

The court ruled allowed ED's plea holding that segregation of trial "would be in the interest of justice as well as fair trial as well as speedy trial". The court took note of the fact that the trial has not commenced even more than a decade after a probe was launched into alleged irregularities in an air force deal to purchase helicopters for transporting VVIPs.

There are a total of 60 accused in the money laundering case being probed by ED under relevant provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Of these 21 accused have till date neither joined investigation nor have been served summons by the ED.


"God knows when the persons will be served and when the trial will commence and rather this scenario will severely prejudice the rights of other accused persons who are already before court as right to speedy inquiry/trial is fundamental right of the accused persons", the order reads.

The court further said "it must be remembered that the trial / inquiry of certain accused persons, who are not yet available for trial and the accused persons who are available for trial cannot be postponed for an indefinite period merely on the ground that the other accused persons / entities are not immediately available for trial.

Among the 39 accused to face trial are former IAF chief SP Tyagi, his cousins, advocate Gautam Khaitan, Rajiv Saxena, Christian Michel James, Ratul Puri, Sushen Mohan Gupta, and others. Five of the 21 absconding accused are currently undergoing extradition proceedings.

In its application ED had submitted that the "summons/warrants issued by the court against 21 accused persons/entities could not be served despite best efforts".

It might be mentioned here that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which is investigating corruption charges in the chopper scandal had moved a similar application (seeking segregation of trial) in December 2022. However, the same is still pending and is yet to be argued by the agency.

The accused are being supplied documents sought by them under Section 207 Crpc, following which the CBI will press its application for segregation of trial, said people in the know.