On Wednesday, a Delhi Court sent Rajeev Sharma, a freelance journalist arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for alleged leakage & supply of sensitive information to Chinese intelligence officers, to judicial custody.
Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana on Wednesday sent Sharma to judicial custody for fourteen days at the request of ED.
Meanwhile, the hearing on bail plea was adjourned to July 16 as ED sought more time to file a reply in the matter.
Rajeev Sharma was recently arrested by ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 on the charges of supplying confidential & sensitive information to Chinese intelligence officers, in exchange for remuneration.
Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana on the last date of hearing while sending him in remand said, "Considering the totality of circumstances, I am of the considered opinion that the prosecution has set out a case for further custodial interrogation of the accused."
Amish Aggarwala Advocate with Aditya Singh Jakhar & Karan Ahuja Advocates argued on behalf of Journalist Rajeev Sharma and appeared in the matter.
Earlier while seeking remand ED stated that unearthing the end-use of funds involved in the instant case would assist in ascertaining the exact quantum of the proceeds of crime, determining the role of various other persons & aides who facilitated the offence of money laundering in the instant case.
The Directorate of Enforcement had arrested Rajeev Sharma under the PMLA on July 1, 2021.
The ED initiated an investigation on the basis of the FIR & charge sheet filed by Delhi Police against Sharma under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 & the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
Earlier, ED said that, during the investigation, it was revealed that Sharma had supplied confidential & sensitive information to Chinese intelligence officers, in exchange for remuneration thereby compromising the security & national interests of India.
ED also stated that it was further revealed that cash for remuneration of Rajeev Sharma and other unidentified persons was being generated through hawala means by Mahipalpur-based shell companies that were run by Chinese nationals namely Zhang Cheng alias Suraj, Zhang Lixia alias Usha, & Quing Shi along with a Nepali national Sher Singh alias Raj Bohara. Apart from cash, huge transactions were made with various Chinese companies & some other trading companies in India which are being examined.
These Chinese companies were acting as a conduit for the Chinese Intelligence agencies to provide remuneration for persons like Rajeev Sharma who indulged in criminal activities. Rajeev Sharma also received money through benami bank accounts in order to conceal his involvement in criminal activities, said the ED.
Earlier Delhi Police had arrested Rajeev Sharma under various sections of the Indian Penal Code & Official Secrets Acts. Later he was granted bail by the High Court of Delhi.
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