Chopper case: No objection if Saxena turns approver: ED

The Enforcement Directorate told a Delhi court on Thursday that it has no objection if Rajiv Saxena, an alleged middleman, is allowed to turn approver in the AgustaWestland money laundering case.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar reserved for March 25 the order on whether to allow him to turn approver and become a witness in the case.

ED's Special Public Prosecutors D P Singh and N K Matta submitted that Saxena's turning approver would be very useful for the agency in the case.

The court had granted bail to Saxena on a plea moved by his lawyer Shivani Luthra, after the agency did not oppose the application.

"We are supporting Saxena's plea to become a witness. He has shown his inclination since the beginning to help in the investigation. He deserves the pardon as sought by him. We vehemently support his plea because it will help us in my case," ED's advocate Samvedna Verma told the court.

Saxena had recorded his statement during in-chamber proceedings on March 6 after which the court sent the copies of his statement to the special judge hearing the case.

The court had granted him bail on medical grounds after the perusal of reports submitted by AIIMS.

Saxena, director at two Dubai-based firms -- UHY Saxena and Matrix Holdings -- is one of the accused named in the charge sheet filed by ED in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland deal scam.

Christian Michel, former AgustaWestland and Finmeccanica directors Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini, former Air Force chief SP Tyagi and Saxena's wife Shivani have also been named by the agency in the charge sheet.