Rohit Tandon’s arrest uncovers network of lawyers, arms dealers

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 12

The Delhi Police Crime Branch has informed that both the ED and I-T departments have submitted a report to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding the raids at lawyer Rohit Tandon's office and residence at Greater Kailash - I.

The Crime Branch and the Income-Tax (I-T) department with this catch have exposed a coterie of lawyers, high-profile arms dealers and middlemen.

According to the Crime Branch officials, they are keeping a close watch on builders and corporate lawyers and those who are known to stock black money. The teams are now analysing Tandon's client list.

Another senior official of the Crime Branch said that Tandon claimed to be a corporate lawyer, specialising in mergers and acquisitions, but no big firm has hired him. I-T officials have also given inputs that he is more of a liaison worker and his investments in properties are through bluechip companies. Interestingly, he is a low-key person, and was not seen in parties or high-profile gatherings. He preferred to meet and entertain clients at his farmhouse in Chattarpur, Outer Delhi.

The Joint Commissioner of Police (JCP), Crime Branch, Ravinder Yadav, said, “Rohit Tandon had been on our radar for two months and now we are closely monitoring his contacts as he said that the money recovered is not his. It is of a Gaziabad builder, a fact that he could prove. We are also watching the builders in NCR with the help of other state police cells.”

Tandon in his short spell with reporters said, “It is absolute nonsense to link me with Abhishek Verma and the AgustaWestland suspects. I have never met them neither they nor I even recognise each other. I will cooperate with the I-T department.”

However, police sources claimed that Tandon was in touch with some high-profile defence dealers and lawyers representing defence lobbyists. Tandon set up T&T in February 2014. He had ambitious plans to set up offices in Dubai and Hong Kong as well. However, he was never seen in courts, according to some lawyers.