Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia leaves the Rouse Avenue Court in connection with alleged irregularities in the canceled Excise Policy. file | Photo Credit: ANI
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed Supplementary charge sheet against former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia and three others have been arrested in connection with the case related to the now scrapped liquor excise policy.
The accused include businessman Amandeep Singh Dhal, chartered accountant Buchibabu Gorantla and one Arjun Pandey. The court has fixed the date of May 12 for arguments on the supplementary charge sheet.
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The CBI had recorded the statement of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on April 16 in the same case. He later alleged that the entire case was fabricated and the agency did not have any evidence. He had said, ‘This is the result of dirty politics.’
Mr Sisodia was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 9 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Earlier, The CBI arrested him on February 26 For alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the Excise Policy.
The CBI had registered a case against Mr. Sisodia and 14 others on August 17, 2022, following a reference from the Union Home Ministry. It was alleged that the excise policy was modified to give undue advantage to the license holders; license fee waived or reduced; and L-1 (Wholesaler) license was extended without the permission of the competent authority.
As alleged, the then Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) communication and media in-charge Vijay Nair received ₹100 crore in advance as “kickback” on behalf of party leaders from a “South Group” headed by The organizations were youth workers. Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, his son Raghava Magunta, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (or BRS, formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samithi or TRS) MLC K. Kavitha, and P. Sarath Chandra Reddy, director of Aurobindo Pharma.
‘false representation’
The group partners were allotted 65% stake in Indo Spirits of accused businessman Sameer Mahandru to recover the payment. The stakes were controlled through “false representation, true ownership and concealment behind proxies”.
According to CBI’s first charge sheetWholesale distribution of Pernod Ricard and Diageo was to go to Indo Spirits and Brindco Spirits, respectively. After getting the money back, the 6% kickback received from the wholesalers was to be shared equally between Mr. Nair and Hyderabad-based businessman Abhishek Boinapalli.
The ED is probing the money laundering case on the basis of a CBI case. Its chargesheet alleged that a part of the alleged kickbacks was diverted through “hawala” channels for AAP’s election campaign in the 2022 Goa assembly elections.
The ED has alleged that the members of the “South Group” were represented by co-accused Arun Pillai, Mr. Boinapalli and Mr. Gorantla. The new excise policy enhanced an extraordinary 12% profit margin for wholesalers and almost 185% profit margin for retailers. It was decided that half of the 12% margin would be collected from the wholesalers.