It’s clear political vendetta, ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey tells court

Former CP Sanjay Pandey. File Pic

It is nothing but political vendetta," former Mumbai police chief Sanjay Pandey on Wednesday told a Delhi court, which sent him to the Enforcement Directorate's custody for nine days for further interrogation in a money laundering case.

The ED is investigating him for allegedly tapping the phones of National Stock Exchange (NSE) employees between 2009 and 2017 in connivance with its top officials, for which his firm got Rs 4.54 crore. The case is based on an FIR filed by the CBI. The agency arrested Pandey on Tuesday and produced him before a Delhi court on Wednesday. The ED told the court that Pandey resigned in April 2000 and that there was litigation against him between 2001 and 2006 in relation to his services. He also moved voluntary retirement in 2007 and withdrew it in 2008, it added.

It said Pandey formed a company, named iSec Services, in 2001 while being in the police service. He was indirectly controlling its operations of iSec, which made a contract with NSE and illegally tapped the latter's employees, the ED told the court.

‘Facilitated illegal activities'

Seeking his custody, the ED said NSE indulged in illegal activities and Pandey facilitated them, and that one cannot tap MTNL lines without prior approval and consent of the employees.

"There are reasons to believe, based on material evidence, that Pandey is guilty of money laundering... as he was directly or indirectly indulging in or knowingly assisted in and was actually involved in all or any process or activity connected with the proceeds of crime including its concealment, possession, acquisition or use and projecting or claiming it as untainted property," ED's remand application reads.

Pandey's lawyer told the court that after his client retired on June 30 two FIRs were filed and the ED arrested him, which shows a clear political vendetta against him. He added that Pandey never indulged in tapping of phones and that NSE provided all machines and the calls were recorded for monitoring and analysis purposes, and has nothing to do with recordings.

The CBI's FIR, however, states that Pandey was providing transcripts of the call recordings to top NSE officials, including Chitra Ramakrishna and Ravi Narain. Pandey also told court that iSec's contract with NSE was for analysis of recorded calls, and that his firm wasn't involved in tapping and they don't even have a tapping machine.

Pandey has been booked under relevant sections of the IPC, PC Act, Indian Telegraph Act, Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act and the IT Act.