New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar’s petition challenging his deportation to India and terming it illegal.
The plea was mentioned before a division bench of the Delhi High Court presided by Justice Siddharth Mridul and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal, which posted the matter for hearing on February 12. During the course of the hearing, senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgi appearing for Talwar told the court that his client had been ‘abducted and brought to India’. “No extradition was carried out and that no procedures were followed”, he maintained.
Rohatgi further moved a Habeas Corpus plea alleging illegal detention. Habeas corpus is a writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or into court, especially to secure the person’s release unless lawful ground is shown for their detention.
Talwar is currently in the Enforcement Directorate’s custody till February 7 as a main accused who allegedly facilitated dispersal of profit making routes of Air India to private airlines using his contacts.
On January 31, the Patiala House Court in the national capital granted a seven-day custodial remand of Talwar to the ED after he was produced before the Special Judge Ss Mann.
The financial investigators had requested 14 days custody of Talwar, who was extradited by Dubai authorities early on January 30, along with Dubai-based businessman Rajeev Saxena, to India in the evening.