AgustaWestland case : EC questions Congress leader Kamal Nath’s nephew, Ratul Puri

Ratul Puri, a businessman was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday in a money laundering case a part of the AgustaWestland scam. The ED is questioning the alleged businessman in connection with the kickback of the AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper case.

The businessman was summoned by the ED as a follow up of the leads emerging from the questioning of Sushen Mohan Gupta, a middleman arrested in the Agusta Westland case. One of the Delhi courts extended his custody by three more days. The special public prosecutors DP Singh and NK Matta told the special judge Arvind Kumar, that the custody was being extended as a result for his confrontation with others, including Puri accused in the 3,600 crore chopper deal.

Ratul Puri has, however, denied any involvement or any wrongdoing on his part claiming that he is cooperating with the ED throughout the investigation. He added “I have no connection in the AgustaWestland case or defense. I run an independent business. I have no business dealings with any relative of mine.”

Puri is the chairman of Hindustan Powerprojects Pvt Ltd. He is the nephew of Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath. The company issued a statement saying, “Ratual Puri issues a categorical denial of having any connection or involvement of any kind in defence or AgustaWestland case.” The comapny also said that Puri will be cooperating with any information and investigation that may be required from his side

In the ED’s charge sheet, Christian Michel ‘budget sheet” also showed some abbreviations revealing the name of the politicians involved in the case. The charge sheet claims the involvement of defense personnel, media persons, politicians, bureaucrats in the VVIP chopper scam. The one name that was reveled by the alleged middleman, Christian Michel was “AP” that could be the abbreviation for Ahmed Patel of Congress party, he said.