New Delhi [India], September 16 (ANI): The Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday framed charges against accused Navas Kakkat in the Rs 200 crore extortion case linked to Sukesh Chandrasekhar.
Special Judge (MCOCA) Gagandeep Singh framed charges against Kakkat after considering the material on record and hearing submissions by the Delhi Police and counter-submissions by the counsel for the accused.
Kakkat, who is stated to be a close associate of Chandrasekhar, was deported from the UAE, following which a supplementary chargesheet was filed against him.
The court framed charges under Sections 3(2), 3(3) and 3(4) of the MCOCA and Section 120-B read with Sections 384, 386, 388, 419, 420 and 506 of the IPC.
“In view of the above facts and circumstances of the case, it has to be concluded that there is sufficient material to frame charges against the accused Navas KI for the offences punishable under 3(2), 3(3), 3(4) MCOC Act and 120-B read with 384/386/388/419/420/506 IPC,” the court ordered.
The prosecution’s case is that Kakkat was an integral part of the Organised Crime Syndicate (OCS) and had been in nexus with the head of the crime syndicate since 2017.
The counsel for Kakkat argued that the allegations against him were limited to routing different amounts received through hawala channels or making further payments on the instructions of other co-accused.
“Thus, as per the accused, the said handling/movement or disbursement of the funds which by itself, does not render him to be part of the criminal conspiracy to commit the offence of extortion, cheating, etc or part of the OCS,” the court noted.
As per the allegations, the OCS headed by Sukesh Chandrasekhar received more than Rs 200 crore through extortion and cheating from the victim. Several channels were allegedly used by the accused and other co-accused for channelling, integration or use of the proceeds of crime.
The court noted that one such channel allegedly involved Kakkat, who firstly received the amount through hawala channels and was also allegedly responsible for utilising the funds through bank accounts held by persons who have been named as prosecution witnesses.
The funds were allegedly used for purchasing gifts and other valuable items for Bollywood celebrities through co-accused Pinki Irani.
“His role also concerns the payment made to M/s Hallo Airways, whose services were utilised for booking the chartered flights by members of Organised Crime Syndicate (OCS),” the court noted.
The court further noted that police had recorded statements of account holders whose bank accounts were allegedly used to make payments to Irani and for various purchases that were to be distributed to Bollywood celebrities.
These statements form part of the sixth supplementary chargesheet, the court noted.
The court said the statements reflected how Kakkat allegedly tricked the account holders through his known persons into allowing their bank accounts to be used for integration of the proceeds of crime received through hawala channels and their subsequent utilisation.
The matter has been listed for recording of prosecution evidence on September 21.(ANI)
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