ED has alleged that Saxena provided a global corporate structure for laundering illegal proceeds of the crime

A Delhi court on Monday allowed Rajiv Saxena, one of the accused in the ₹3,600-crore AgustaWestland money laundering case, to turn approver.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar allowed Mr. Saxena to turn approver after going through his statement which he had earlier recorded before a Metropolitan Magistrate on his direction.

The Enforcement Directorate had said it had no objection to Mr. Saxena’s request. Counsel for the probe agency submitted before the judge that Mr. Saxena becoming an approver would be useful to the case.

In his application, Mr. Saxena said he would make full disclosure to the extent facts were within his knowledge.

He had cooperated with the investigation during the remand period and said he filed the application on his own without any coercion.

The ED has alleged that in connivance with Gautam Khaitan, one of the accused in the case, Mr. Saxena provided a global corporate structure for laundering illegal proceeds of the crime for payment to various politicians, bureaucrats and Air Force officials.

Christian Michel, former AgustaWestland and Finmeccanica directors Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini respectively, former Air Force chief S.P. Tyagi and Mr. Saxena’s wife Shivani have also been made accused by the ED.