Who Is Sanjay Bhandari? Arms Dealer Tagged Fugitive Economic Offender by Delhi Court

UK-based arms consultant Sanjay Bhandari has been declared a fugitive economic offender by a special Delhi court on the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) plea under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018.

The court’s declaration is a big win for the ED, which argued that Bhandari fled to the UK in 2016 to avoid prosecution in India on charges of money laundering and tax evasion.

The money laundering case against Bhandari and others was registered in February 2017, based on an Income Tax Department charge sheet under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015. The ED filed its own charge sheet in 2020, accusing Bhandari of concealing overseas assets, backdating documents, and lying to authorities about foreign holdings.

Bhandari is alleged to have run Offset India Solutions, offering consultancy to defence manufacturers bidding for Indian contracts, while hiding illicit overseas wealth.

The special court issued the order under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018. According to the ED, Bhandari fled to the UK in 2016 to evade prosecution, and a recent attempt by India to secure his extradition was turned down by a UK court. The ED registered a money laundering case against Bhandari and others in February 2017, based on an Income Tax Department charge sheet under the Black Money Act, 2015, and later filed its own charge sheet against him in 2020.

Robert Vadra Link

The ED’s probe has also ensnared Robert Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Less than a month ago, Vadra received fresh summons in connection with the money laundering case that alleges his association with Bhandari.

According to the ED’s 2023 charge sheet, Bhandari bought and renovated a London property in 2009 using funds allegedly provided by Vadra. The agency claims Vadra stayed at the property. Vadra has strongly denied any wrongdoing, calling the allegations a “political witch hunt” and accusing the government of “hounding and harassing” him for political reasons.

The ED has also charged UK national Sumit Chadha and UAE-based businessman Cheruvathur Chakutty (CC) Thampi, describing Thampi as a "close associate" of Vadra who allegedly facilitated the movement of illicit funds.

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