Delhi HC reserves order on Deepak Puri's plea to travel abroad

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved the order on an application moved by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging the trial court order granting permission to businessman Deepak Puri to travel abroad for treatment of his mouth cancer.

Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar, after hearing the submission of both sides reserved the order on the application of CBI challenging trial court order permitting Deepak Puri to travel to the USA for medical treatment.

Businessman Deepak Puri is the father of Rahul Puri and relative of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath.

The CBI had, in 2019 filed a case against Ratul Puri, who is the former executive director of Moser Baer India Limited (MBIL), his father Deepak Puri and others on a complaint filed by the Central Bank of India. The bank had accused Moser Baer and its director of defrauding the bank of Rs 354 crores.

The bank had claimed that Moser Baer and its directors, allegedly forged and fabricated documents to induce the Central Bank of India to release funds.

CBI counsel Anupam Sharma while opposing puri's travel permission to USA for treatment submits that, this man wants to travel to New York and other places which are highly infected.

Earlier, CBI submitted that he might not return to India and he might move the money he allegedly got in connection with the bank fraud.

Advocate Vijay Aggarwal representing Deepak Puri said "Deepak Puri is co-operative with the agencies and have to go for the treatment of his mouth cancer. Businessman Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya went away and never came back but whenever Deepak Puri have gone abroad, have always come back. He further submitted the court that Deepak Puri has been travelling to the USA every year since 2016 when he underwent a surgery for his mouth cancer."

Earlier, Court had sought more documents or correspondence from Puri regarding his claims for travel to the USA and he needed further medication or consultation. Court noted that Deepak Puri has only been able to show a September 24, 2020, letter from a doctor at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre stating that he had received treatment there and needs further check-up.

( With inputs from ANI )