SC allows Chandraswami to go abroad

The Supreme Court granted permission to controversial godman Chandraswami to go abroad after depositing Rs 10 lakh in cash with the Enforcement Directorate(ED), who are investigating allegations of illegal transactions under FERA.

A vacation bench comprising Justices V S Sirpurkar and R M Lodha also directed the passport authorities to release his passport after completing all the formalities as per Delhi High Court order.

ED had earlier opposed the plea of Chandraswami for permission to go abroad alleging that he was one of the suspects in criminal conspiracy leading to the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on May 21, 1991.

The apex court had asked the counsel for ED Wasim Kadri about the steps the government had taken to investigate the allegations of Chandraswami's involvement in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.

ED had alleged that Nemi Chand Jain alias Chandraswami was suspected to have financed the conspirators involved in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.

Mr Kadri had also alleged that several cases of illegal transactions of huge sums of money running into crores of rupees were pending against him and he may not come back if allowed to go abroad.

Senior counsel Mukul Rohtagi, appearing for Chandraswami, denied all the allegations and pleaded that no case was pending against his client.

Dismissing the appeal of ED against Delhi High Court judgment which had permitted the godman to go abroad subject to several conditions, the bench today held that the High Court judgment des not call for any interference and the conditions imposed by the High Court are, by and large, reasonable.