Delhi High Court defers hearing on ED plea challenging Ratul Puri's bail to April 27

The Delhi High Court on Monday postponed the hearing on Enforcement Directorate plea challenging bail granted to businessman Ratul Puri by a trial court in Moser Baer Bank loan matter for April 27. 

Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar adjourned the hearing as the Enforcement Directorate counsel was not present while the matter was being heard by the court. Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayyar and Advocate Vijay Aggarwal were representing Ratul Puri.

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Earlier last week, the ED had moved to Delhi HC, challenging the trial court's order granting bail to Puri on December 13. The plea filed by the ED had accused Puri of influencing the witnesses and bail should not have been granted till the completion of the examination of prosecution witnesses. ED further stated that the trial court Judge who granted bail has made a mistake in holding the apprehension that Puri would tamper with evidence and had stated that the idea appears to be far-fetched.

The records of Puri's company continue to remain in the custody of the official liquidator, as the evidence of money laundering does not form part of the record of the company because the siphoning has been done throughout book sales, accommodation entries, etc.

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The trial court had granted bail to Puri

Earlier on December 13, a trial court had granted bail to Ratul Puri on Rs 5 lakh bail bond and two sureties of the same amount. Puri was arrested by the Directorate on August 19, and since then he was kept in judicial and agency custody. He was also named an accused in the Agusta Westland money laundering case. A charge sheet had been filed by the ED against businessman Ratul Puri in connection with Rs 354-crore bank fraud case. 

Earlier in August 2019, the CBI had filed a case against Puri, who is the former executive director of Moser Baer India Limited (MBIL), his father Deepak Puri and mother Nita Puri on a complaint filed by the Central Bank of India. The bank had accused Moser Baer and its director of defrauding the bank of Rs 354 crores. 

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(With inputs from ANI)