The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday, (ED) filed its third chargesheet in the Delhi Excise Policy Case against Magunta Raghava Reddy, the son of YSR Congress Party MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, and two others. The chargesheet names Reddy, Rajesh Joshi, and Gautam Malhotra. Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia and BRS leader K Kavitha were not named in the second supplementary chargesheet. The chargesheet was filed in the court of Special Judge MK Nagpal at the Rouse Avenue court. Malhota, Joshi, and Raghav Reddy were arrested on February 7, 8, and 10, respectively. The special court will hear the matter on April 14 for cognizance.
Previously, the ED had filed two chargesheets in connection with the case. In November of last year, the first chargesheet named only Sameer Mahendru, Managing Director of Indo Spirit. The ED alleged that while irregularities in the Delhi liquor policy scam caused the government a loss of Rs 2,873 crore, the accused gained a profit of Rs 295 crore. The special court has taken cognizance of the chargesheet, noting that there is substantial evidence to proceed with the case. A total of 17 accused, including six persons, have been named in the first two chargesheets.
On January 6 of this year, the ED filed the second chargesheet against 12 accused, including five persons who were already in judicial custody: Sharath C Reddy, Binoy Babu, AAP communication incharge Vijay Nair, Abhishek Boinpally, and Amit Arora. Seven private entities, primarily in the liquor trade, have also been mentioned as accused in the chargesheet.
According to the ED, Hyderabad-based businessman Boinpally conspired with Dinesh Arora, a close aide to Sisodia, to assist in the movement of the proceeds of the crime. The chargesheet alleges that “Nair, on behalf of leaders of AAP, received kickbacks to the tune of ₹100 crore from a group, for convenience, we may call it the South Group (as termed in the statements of various persons recorded during the investigation), whose prominent persons are YSR Congress MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, Raghav Magunta, Sarath Reddy, and Kavitha.” The chargesheet further states that “The South Group was represented by Boinpally, Arun Pillai, and Buchi Babu. Boinpalli facilitated the transfer of ₹100 crores kickback in connivance and conspiracy with Nair and his associate Arora.”
The ED case is based on the CBI FIR filed on August 17, 2022, in response to a complaint filed by Lt Governor Vinai Saxena.