Moser Baer Scam: Delhi High Court allows Deepak Puri to travel overseas on medical grounds

The Delhi High Court has allowed Deepak Puri and Nita Puri, parents of businessman Ratul Puri to travel abroad on medical grounds. The Puris are being investigated for several charges, including a multi-crore bank fraud amounting to Rs 354 crore by Indian multinational technology company Moser Baer. The HC observed that the 'right to travel abroad is a valuable one' and also 'an integral part of the right to personal liberty'. 

Delhi High Court allows Deepak Puri, Nita Puri to travel abroad on medical grounds 

Earlier in June, a special judge bench at the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi had allowed Deepak Puri and Nita Puri to travel to New York for medical follow-up and treatment for two months. Even so, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenged the order. The CBI had registered two fraud cases against the Puris. Arguing for CBI, special public prosecutor Anupam Sharma argued before justice Manoj Kumar Ohri that the Puris are accused in a case of immense economic magnitude. Sharma further added that the allegations are 'grave and serious'. 

The CBI's lawyer also stated that the accused might tamper with the evidence if they were allowed to travel overseas. In addition, he also expressed doubt over the couple's return to India. Countering the arguments, Puris' lawyer Vijay Aggarwal sought relief on medical grounds. Aggarwal informed the court that 80-year-old Deepak Puri is suffering from degenerative chronic bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia associated with lung fibrosis.

He further added that Puri had also gone to New York for surgery and reconstruction for the treatment of mouth cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in 2016. Aggarwal argued that Deepak Puri needs to follow up on his mouth cancer surgery and therefore needed to visit California and New York. Therefore, the HC discarded CBI's argument and has allowed the Puris to travel for two months on two sureties of ₹1 crore each. 

Justice Ohri also directed the couple to furnish an undertaking disclosing their flight details, telephone numbers and residential details during their stay abroad. In addition, he has also sought their return date while asking them to refrain from making a banking or commercial transaction of any nature. Moreover, their son Ratul Puri, who is also a co-accused in the case has been asked to deposit his passport with the CBI till his parents return to India after two months. The Puris are being investigated by the CBI and the ED for at least four cases of fraud, cheating and money laundering. 

The cases against Puris 

Back in 2019, the CBI had registered a bank fraud case against Puris and their company Moser Baer for cheating Central Bank of India of ₹354 crore. Following that, a fresh case was registered in 2020 for cheating Punjab National Bank of ₹787 crore. On the other hand, Ratul Puri has been named in the AgustaWestland scam. Ratul Puri, who is currently on bail has been accused for playing a key role in laundering crores of rupees. 

With PTI Inputs