SC issues notice to Aditya Talwar on ED plea

New Delhi, July 8 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to Aditya Talwar on a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate challenging a Delhi High Court order which allowed Antigua-based Aditya Talwar, an accused in a money laundering case, to appear through his lawyer in a lower court here.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi has fixed the hearing on July 23.

Aditya Talwar's counsel argued that not even a single summon was issued against him and also not a single witness brought forth against him.

The bench, after hearing the arguments, stayed the proceedings before the Delhi High Court.

Aditya Talwar, who is yet to come to India, has been made an accused along with his father Deepak Talwar, who allegedly acted as a middleman in negotiations to favour foreign private airlines, causing losses to Air India.

Aditya Talwar too has been accused by the ED of acting as a middleman in negotiations to favour foreign private airlines over seat-sharing on Air India's profitable routes.

The ED is also probing various other cases related to money laundering against Deepak Talwar, who was deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on January 30.

Meanwhile, another division bench headed by Chief Justice Rajendra Menon asked Deepak Talwar's son Aditya Talwar to appear before the ED.

The direction came after it was informed that Aditya Talwar was a "fugitive" from law. The court was hearing Wave Hospitality Ltd's plea challenging a notice related to the provisional attachment of its hotel in Aerocity area.

The ED told the court that Aditya Talwar was connected with Wave Hospitality and since he was a "fugitive", the company's plea should not be heard. But the company said that Aditya Talwar was neither one of its directors nor a shareholder.

On May 1, a trial court issued a Non Bailable Warrant against Aditya Talwar in a case related to irregular seat sharing on Air India's profitable routes after taking cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the ED.