The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe in the money laundering case in connection with the now scrapped Delhi Excise Policy Case 2021-22 is getting bigger with names associated with a popular food chain also emerging.
The financial probe agency, while demanding an extension of custody for one of the main accused in the case, Sameer Mahendru, revealed in the court that the roles of more people, including those associated with the popular food chain Khau Gali, have also come to light.
The court had extended the ED custody of Mahendru, managing director of Indospirits, to four days. The ED informed the court that Mahendru, who was arrested by the agency on September 28, met and conspired to have a full chain from manufacturing and wholesale.
The ED also told the court that new names surfaced during its questioning of Mahendru. “We don’t want to name these people right now. Need to confront him with those people,” the ED told the court.
It also said that a data analysis report of electronic gadgets belonging to Mahendru will come to it in the next three to four days from the forensics lab.
The ED then informed the court that it is also investigating some people who are associated with the famous food chain Khau Galli.
Meanwhile, a court here also sent Vijay Nair, AAP communication in-charge and the former CEO of Mumbai-based Only Much Louder, an entertainment and event management company, to judicial custody till October 20.
Nair is a close aide of Delhi Deputy Chief minister Manish Sisodia. Nair was arrested by the CBI on September 27. He was earlier sent to CBI custody till October 4 and then his police custody was extended for two more days.
Earlier, the ED had carried out searches on the premises of Mahendru on September 6 and 16 after registering a case of money laundering.
The ED had carried out searches at over 40 locations on September 16 across the country. On September 6, the ED conducted raids at several locations after registering a case on the basis of the CBI FIR.
The CBI FIR is based on the complaint received from Lieutenant Governor of Delhi VK Saxena alleging irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of the GNCTD of Delhi for the year 2021-22.
Besides Mahendru and Nair, the CBI has named Sisodia and three public servants – Arva Gopi Krishna, the then Excise Commissioner and IAS officer; Anand Tiwari, the then Deputy Excise Commissioner and Pankaj Bhatnagar, the Assistant Commissioner (Excise).
The CBI has also named private persons – Manoj Rai, ex-employee of Lucknow-based Pernod Ricard; Amandeep Dhal, Director of Delhi-based Brindco Sales Pvt. Ltd.; Amit Arora, Director of Buddy Retail Private Limited; Gurgaon-based Buddy Retail Private Limited; Dinesh Arora, Delhi-based Mahadev Liquors; Sunny Marwah, authorised signatory of Mahadev Liquors; Arun Ramchandra Pillai of Karnataka’s Bangalore and Arjun Pandey of Gurgaon.
In the CBI FIR, it has been alleged that Sisodia, Krishna, Tiwari, and Bhatnagar were instrumental in recommending and taking decisions pertaining to excise policy for the year 2021-22 without the approval of competent authority with the intention of extending undue favours to the licensee post-tender.
The CBI FIR further states that reliable sources have revealed that Nair, Rai, Dhal, and Mahendru are actively involved in irregularities in the framing and implementing of the excise policy of GNCTD of Delhi for the year 2021-22.