Chandraswami wants Khashoggi to be summoned
PTI
Sunday, February 19, 2006 11:22 IST
NEW DELHI: Godman Chandraswami has moved a Delhi court seeking recording of the testimony of Saudi Arabia-based international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi as his defence witness in a Foreign Exchange Regulation Act case against him here.
dnaindia.com
Chandraswami wants Khashoggi to be summoned
PTI
Sunday, February 19, 2006 11:22 IST
NEW DELHI: Godman Chandraswami has moved a Delhi court seeking recording of the testimony of Saudi Arabia-based international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi as his defence witness in a Foreign Exchange Regulation Act case against him here.
In an application before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kamini Lau, Nemichand Jain, better known as Chandraswami, has requested the court to examine Khashoggi, who lives in Riyadh, via video-conferencing.
The court will take up his application on Monday.
Chandraswami's counsel K K Manan told the court that Khashoggi's examination as a defence witness was vital in establishing that his client had no knowledge of the transaction that he is supposed to have made.
Chandraswami is being tried on a complaint made by the Enforcement Directorate for acquiring and transferring Pounds Sterling 6,000 in violation of FERA provisions.
According to the ED, Chandraswami had filed a defamation suit against Lakhubhai Pathak before the Queen's Bench Division in London.
The London court had in November 1986 directed Chandraswami to deposit 6,000 pounds as security for the defendant's costs.
According to the ED, the deposit, allegedly paid by the godman's devotees, was violative of Section 8(1) of the Act which prohibits acquiring or otherwise transacting in foreign exchange without obtaining general or special permission from the Reserve Bank of India.
However, countering ED's complaint, Khashoggi, in an affidavit filed in the Delhi court, has stated that he had deposited the amount in the London court.
Khashoggi, who claims to be a close friend of the godman, admitted in the affidavit to having deposited the sum without informing Chandraswami, as it was a "small amount" for him.
The godman has contended that Khashoggi's deposition in the court would help establish that he had no knowledge of the transaction and thus no offence would be made out against him.
Meanwhile, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, counsels A K Vali and N K Matta argued that the international arms merchant could not be summoned as a witness in the case.
In the event of Khashoggi submitting false evidence, they said, there was no way he could be prosecuted for perjury, since India does not have an extradition treaty with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he lives.
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