Delhi court issues open ended NBW against 3 accused in money laundering case

New Delhi [India], May 31 (ANI): The Rouse Avenue court issued an open-ended non-bailable warrant (NBW) against three persons, including a company's CMD, in a money laundering case linked to a Rs 1200 crore bank fraud case. This case is related to Amira Pure Foods Private Limited. Two of the accused are not in India.
According to the report of the Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Karan A Chanana left the country in 2017 and Anita Daing in 2016.
Special CBI judge Amitabh Rawat issued an open-ended warrant against three persons: Karan A Chanana, Anita Daing and Rajesh Arora.
Open-ended NBWs are warrants without a date for execution and do not have a time limit.
Special judge on May 28 disposed of the application filed by Enforcement Directorate (ED) on April 5, 2025, for issuance of open-ended Non-Bailable Warrant against accused persons, namely Karan A. Chanana, Anita Daing and Rajesh Arora.
"Let it be executed through lawful available means in respect of the accused not in India," special judge Amitabh Rawat said in the order passed on May 28.
The application for cancellation of the NBW issued against Karan A Chanana was also dismissed by the court on May 28.
ED had prayed for issuance of open-ended Non-Bailable Warrant against three respondents, namely Karan A. Chanana, Anita Daing and Rajesh Arora.
Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Simon Benjamin, Manish Jain, alongwith Snehal Sharda, appeared for ED.
It was submitted that the investigation under PMLA conducted by the Prosecuting Agency is being prejudiced and adversely affected due to continued non-compliance with the summons issued by the Prosecuting Agency.
It was further submitted that these three are Directors/Ex-Directors and key decision-makers of M/s Amira Pure Foods Private Limited, the defaulting entity, and their joining of the investigation is necessary to bring the investigation to its logical end.
Investigation related to these accused persons is pending. A Prosecution complaint against some other accused has already been filed.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) had made effort to serve summons dated 08.11.2024 at Karan A Chanana's London based known addresses through MHA under MLAT.
Chanana was directed to appear in person before this Directorate on 14.02.2025 in compliance of the Summons.
However, Karan A. Chanana failed to comply with the said summons and a response was received vide letter dated 01.02.2025 (received through email dated 02.02.2025) wherein his representative informed that Karan A Chanana is unable to make himself physically present on 14.02.2025 due to his deteriorating health condition.
Earlier on November 20 2024, Non Bailable Warrants (NBW) against these accused were issued by the court.
It was also submitted that the respondents deliberately, intentionally, and knowingly avoided their presence before the IO in compliance with summons issued under Section 50(2) and (3) of PMLA.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR on 23.11.2020 under Section 120B, 420, and 471 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Act, 1860, and the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988, on the basis of a complaint dated 17.11.2020 filed by Canara Bank.
In the said FIR, it was alleged that the accused company, M/s Amira Pure Foods Private Limited, through its Directors, Promoters, Employees, and others, committed fraud by siphoning and diverting funds, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, cheating, fraud, etc., causing wrongful loss to the tune of approximately Rs 1201.85 crores to the consortium of banks led by Canara Bank.
On the basis of the CBI FIR, ED had registered the present case 22.06.2022 under PMLA.
It was argued that investigation conducted by the Directorate revealed that M/s Amira Pure Foods Private limited was sanctioned fund based and non - fund based limits by a consortium of Banks led by Canara Bank to the tune of approximately Rs 1,367 crores from 2009 to 2016.
The stated purpose of the loan as per the loan documents was, inter-alia, for working capital requirements. The account of the company was declared as Non Performing Asset (NPA) on 29.09.2017.
The account of M/s APFPL was declared as fraud by all the member Banks to the tune of approximately Rs 1,201 crores. The company not only defaulted in repayment of interest but also failed to submit its financial statements, net worth particulars of guarantors, routed transactions outside consortium lenders, did not enable stock audits etc, it was added.
Investigations by ED showed that said entity siphoned off/ diverted the borrowed money to the tune of Rs 734.20 crores through non-genuine and sham business transactions with various fictitious entities, which were used as a conduit for the diversion of money of the lenders. (ANI)