After Rs 50 crore surety Suresh Nanda allowed to go abroad for 2 weeks

NEW DELHI: Arms dealer Suresh Nanda, accused by the CBI of receiving a huge kickback in the 2000 Israeli Barak missile purchase deal, was on Wednesday allowed by the Delhi High Court to go abroad for two weeks after furnishing a steep surety worth Rs 50 crore to ensure his return.

Nanda, also facing probe in another case of bribing an Income Tax official in 2008, was allowed to go abroad by Justice Mukta Gupta on furnishing the surety to ensure his return to the country to face the probe.

"The trial court is directed to permit the petitioner to go to London for a period of two weeks on furnishing a fresh itinerary and his address where he would be staying in the UK," said Justice Gupta, allowing Nanda's plea to go abroad.

"The petitioner is also directed to submit the security of self-owned property worth Rs 50 crore (as a surety)," Justice Gupta added.

Accepting Nanda's arguments that CBI has not filed any charge sheet in the case so far, the court said, "The travel of petitioner cannot be withheld indefinitely. The same would be violative of his fundamentals rights."

The court allowed Nanda to go abroad rejecting the CBI's argument that it has sent a letter rogatory to UK and Israel to probe the alleged the receipt of huge kickbacks and permitting him to go abroad at this juncture would compromise the investigation into the case.

Once in London, he may exercise his influence in connection with the letter rogatory sent abroad , the CBI apprehended.