MUMBAI, February 20: The Enforcement Directorate today told the Bombay High Court that Shyam Bhatia, former MD of Orson Electronics and Lan Eseda Software Systems, had failed to respond to seven summons before he submitted before the agency on June 16 last year. The ED is seeking the cancellation of Bhatia's bail granted by the additional chief metropolitan magistrate, 47th court, Esplanade, on the day Bhatia was arrested by the ED.The agency is seeking to interrogate him for unrealised export outstandings of US dollars 1.2 million and other cases of alleged FERA violation.
Arguing for the ED, senior counsel Rafique Dada argued that custodial interrogation has been held to be an important part of investigations. Dada relied on the Supreme Court judgment in the Ashok Kumar Jain versus the ED case, in which, also the circumstances were similar and the accused has argued that the physical custody of the accused was not necessary.
Dada said the ED was looking into several trips made by Bhatia during1987-92 and other transactions of his as MD of Orson Electronics. The claims of illness made by the respondent had been contested by the agency in the past also, but that was not the issue now, Dada argued.
In Jain's case also, the apex court had upheld the need for the agency to carry out its investigations unfettered. Bhatia's counsel will argue on next Thursday.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
