NATION | Wednesday, February 10, 2010 | Email | Print |  | Back
Jethmalani bats for NRI trader Raj Bhojwani
Staff Reporter | New Delhi
Veteran lawyer Ram Jethmalani on Tuesday came out in support of NRI businessman Raj Bhojwani, facing trial in the tax haven island of Jersey on alleged charges of money laundering in a truck sale deal to Nigeria. While addressing a Press conference at his residence, he said it is said that Bhojwani was being discriminated and not allowed to hire a lawyer of his choice to defend his case in the Court in Jersey.
Jethmalani further added that the Government should take up the matter with the Government of Jersey at diplomatic level. “My own appeal to the Government of India is to make our diplomatic representation in Jersey or in United Kingdom to take up this matter at the governmental level and seek fair justice for our citizen,” the renowned lawyer said.
Jethmalani also said it was a legitimate grievance of the family. “Surprisingly, the defendant is not allowed to take the services of a lawyer of his choice. He is bound to have the services of local lawyers. This does not disrespect the local bar but it is certainly infringe the right of defendants”, he said. The senior lawyer went further and expressed his astonishment over the matter saying “if the Nigerian Government had told the local authority they had no grievance then why Bhojwani was detained and is being prosecuted”.
Jethmalani also said that he hoped that our Ambassador or High Commissioner would look into the matter and put an end to the legitimate grievance. “Fair trial is right of everybody and fair can be only when you are allowed to hire a lawyer of your choice,” he stated.
Bhojwani’s daughter Sunaina Bhojwani was also present on the occasion. She said her family had written several letters to various authorities in India and also the Government in this regard but she has did not get any response from them yet.
Bhojwani, who supplied Tata trucks to the Nigerian military, is caught in an international legal controversy between Nigeria and Jersey. He is alleged to have engaged in money laundering in the deal for which he had signed contracts worth US$ 183 million with Nigeria in 1996. The money was deposited in Jersey’s Bank of India branch where his trial started on January 26 this year.
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