First Mallya, Now Arms Dealer Sanjay Bhandari Found in London

Following this, the CBI sent a Red Corner Notice (RCN) to Interpol at the Delhi Police’s request.

Sanjay Bhandari has been named in many scams during the UPA tenure. (Photo Courtesy: YouTube screengrab)

Sanjay Bhandari, an arms dealer accused of being involved in several scams during the UPA tenure, was found to have taken shelter in London.

Following this, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sent a Red Corner Notice (RCN) to Interpol at the Delhi Police’s request.

Bhandari was allegedly the middleman in several deals during the UPA’s rule, including the controversial Pilatus deal.

A CNN-News18 investigation has unearthed that Bhandari escaped to London despite notices filed against him. One of the notices is by the Income Tax department under the Black Money Act. The report further says that an internal probe has confirmed that he took the Nepal route to flee. There was allegedly a Chartered Accountant and some lawyers in the United Kingdom who helped him go to London.

Also Read: Vadra Land Deal: ED Notice to Sanjay Bhandari Over Financial Probe

Bhandari is the second after liquor baron Vijay Mallya to seek refuge in London. He might have been making attempts to save his assets, which include Rs 200 crore in 5 bank accounts in Dubai, and 3 houses each in London and Dubai, the report states. If a person does not declare his or her assets by September 2016, the government can attach his or her assets under the Black Money Act.

Bhandari became a high-profile defence consultant and executor of offset obligations for foreign armament companies in 2008. His company, Offset India Solutions (OIS), caught the eye of investigators after its escalation into a multi-crore business. After the new government assumed office in 2014, he was probed in multiple cases, one including a scandal where he was importing cars by avoiding custom duty. His name also came in when one of Robert Vadra’s properties in London was reported to have been funded by Bhandari.