Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Dana Air MD Over Alleged N1.3 Billion Fraud  

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the arrest of Dana Air’s managing director, Hathiramani Ranesh, for failing to appear in court over an alleged N1.3 billion fraud case. Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued the warrant on Monday. He argued it was necessary due to Ranesh’s repeated absence despite being served with charges and other court proceedings.

The court relied on Section 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, which permits issuing arrest warrants against defendants who refuse to show up for trial. Justice Egwuatu stated that Ranesh must be brought to court by January 13, 2025, before any objections could be entertained.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/101/2021, involves six counts filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation’s office. Ranesh, Dana Group PLC, and Dana Steel Ltd are accused of conspiring to sell industrial generators worth over N450 million secured as collateral for a bond. The alleged offences occurred between September and December 2018 at Dana Steel’s Katsina facility and in Lagos in 2019.

During a prior hearing on October 10, the federal government’s lawyer, Mojisola-Okeya Esho, urged the court to issue a bench warrant due to Ranesh’s absence for his arraignment. However, defence lawyer B. Ademola-Bello claimed they had already challenged the court’s jurisdiction. With the recent ruling, the court ordered the arrest of Ranesh.

The matter was adjourned to January 13, 2025, for the next hearing.

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