Aviation scam: On ED's plea, SC stays relief to Talwar's son

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed proceedings before the Delhi HC in the aviation scam after the Enforcement Directorate challenged the relief from personal appearance granted to Aditya Talwar, accused of receiving Rs 272 crore in kickbacks for influencing decisions favouring airlines from the UAE and Qatar and causing loss to Air India .
Appearing for the ED, solicitor general Tushar Mehta told a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose that it had become a trend with those accused of money laundering to flee the country and take citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda to avoid the country's legal process.
Aditya's father Deepak Talwar, who is also accused in the case, was extradited from Dubai in January. The ED said Aditya took citizenship of Antigua & Barbuda after a PMLA case was filed against him in 2017.
Mehta said the Delhi HC order of May 31 allowing Aditya to "further evade the process of law and not to submit to Indian jurisdiction" could have a significant impact on other cases involving economic offenders. The HC had erred by not taking into account the ED's plea not to exercise its discretionary powers to grant relief to a person who has refused to join investigations and the process of law in India, Mehta said.
The CJI-led bench issued notice to Aditya, ordered the case to be listed on July 23 for final disposal and stayed proceedings before the HC.