While the Government is under pressure to resolve and extradite the return of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi to India, a new Gujarat scamster Nitin Sandesara is being investigated by the CBI.
Nitin Jayantilal Sandesara, director of a Gujarat-based pharma company, Sterling Biotech, who is being probed in a Rs 5,000 crore fraud case, has reportedly fled to Nigeria. Sandesaria, his brother Chetan, sister in law, Dipti besides other family members are believed to be in Nigeria, according to media sources.
It is alleged that the company took loans of over Rs 5,000 crore from a consortium led by Andhra Bank which had turned into non-performing assets. However, investigating agencies are planning to send a request to authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) seeking a ‘provisional request’.
Earlier, there were news reports that Sandesara was arrested by Dubai police based on a non-bailable arrest warrant issued by an Indian court. But he has left UAE, said another report.
“The legal process post the arrest is taking place in Dubai. We are waiting for details. Indian agencies will try to get him deported,” a senior official said.
The company and its directors are being probed. CBI has booked Vadodara-based Sterling Biotech directors Chetan Jayantilal Sandesara, Dipti Chetan Sandesara, Rajbhushan Omprakash Dixit, Nitin Jayantilal Sandesara and Vilas Joshi, chartered accountant Hemant Hathi, former director Andhra Bank Anup Garg, and some unidentified persons in connection with the reported bank fraud case.
The Enforcement Directorate has arrested few people in this case including Delhi-based businessman Gagan Dhawan, former Andhra Bank director Anup Garg and Sterling Biotech Ltd director Rajbhhushan Dixit. Multiple prosecution complaints or charge sheets have also been filed before a special court here. It had also attached assets worth over Rs. 4,700 crore of the pharmaceutical firm in June this year.
