The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested liquor baron Amandeep Singh Dhall, director of Brindco Sales Pvt Ltd, in the Delhi Excise Policy scam case. According to the information, Dhal was arrested on Tuesday.
He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 1, and his interrogation led to the arrest of Arun Pillai. Dhal Os is currently lodged in Tihar Jail. A CBI source said the central probe agency might need to interrogate him.
The CBI, after arresting Dhal, produced it in Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday. During the hearing in the court, the CBI demanded that Amandeep Dhall be given remand for three days.
It may be mentioned here that earlier on March 1, 2023, Amandeep Dhall was arrested by the ED. Since then, Amandeep Dhal has been lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody.
On Monday, Special Public Prosecutor Naveen Kumar Matta, arguing for ED, submitted in court that they are filing the next chargesheet (Prosecution Complaint) against Manish Sisodia, Dhal and Arun Ramchandra Pillai by the end of this month in connection with the money laundering case related to irregularities in the now-scrapped excise policy.
According to the ED, Dhal allegedly conspired with other persons and is actively involved in formulating the liquor policy and facilitating kickbacks to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its recoupment by the South Group through various means.
The ED and the CBI had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the Excise policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced, and the L-1 licence was extended without the approval of the competent authority.
The beneficiaries diverted “illegal” gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection.
It alleged that the Excise department had decided to refund the Earnest Money Deposit of about Rs 30 crore to a successful tenderer against the set rules. Even though there was no enabling provision, a waiver on tendered licence fees was allowed from December 28, 2021, to January 27, 2022, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This allegedly caused a loss of Rs 144.36 crore to the exchequer, which has been instituted on a reference from the Union Home Ministry following a recommendation from Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.
