Sat Jul 05 08:28:06 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**Indian Court Declares UK-Based Arms Consultant Sanjay Bhandari a Fugitive Economic Offender**
**New Delhi, India – July 5, 2025** – A special court in Delhi today declared Sanjay Bhandari, a U.K.-based arms consultant, a fugitive economic offender. The order was issued in response to a plea from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act of 2018.
Bhandari allegedly absconded to the United Kingdom in 2016. While India sought his extradition, the request was recently rejected by a U.K. court.
The ED filed a money laundering case against Bhandari and others in February 2017, following an Income Tax department charge sheet filed under the anti-black money law of 2015. The agency formally filed a charge sheet against Bhandari in 2020.
This ruling marks a significant step in India’s ongoing efforts to pursue individuals accused of economic offenses who have fled the country.
First Piper 