The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made a significant revelation in the Delhi Liquor scam case, claiming that bribes of Rs 100 crores were paid in the scam, reports Times Now. As per the report, while obtaining the remand of Sharath Reddy and Binoy Babu in court on Thursday, the ED stated that a Rs 100 crore bribe was given to public servants
“During the course of the investigation, various persons involved in the Delhi Excise Scam have revealed that a bribe of Rs 100 crore had been given in advance for undue benefits to select business groups by the Delhi Govt,” said the ED in its remand copy today.
#BreakingNews | DELHI LIQUOR GATE
— Mirror Now (@MirrorNow) November 10, 2022
ED has alleged that bribe of Rs 100 crore being paid in order to interfere with the investigations in #DelhiLiquorScam.@bhavatoshsingh reports | #ManishSisodia pic.twitter.com/HqDWm72OEQ
Earlier in the day, the Enforcement Directorate made two important arrests in connection with the money laundering investigation into the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy case. The agency detained Aurobindo Pharma’s full-time director Sharath Reddy and Pernod Ricard’s General Manager Benoy Babu under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Sharath Reddy was detained, according to sources, based on the evidence against him. He is said to have strong ties with a few AAP politicians in Delhi. According to a report by republic TV, the federal agency quizzed Sharath Reddy multiple times before his arrest.
The other accused, Benoy Babu, was allegedly involved with other accused in the Delhi excise policy. He apparently refused to cooperate with the investigation, prompting authorities to arrest him.
Both the accused were produced before a court in Delhi for custody in this case.
This development comes days after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s close aide Dinesh Arora, who is also a co-accused, told the court on November 7 that he is ready to turn approver in the Delhi excise policy scam.
During the hearing, Dinesh Arora sought pardon in the case and said he has made the confessional statement under Section 164 (Recording of confessions and statements) of the CrPC.
Asked if there is any pressure from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Arora replied in the negative. “I am ready to give voluntary disclosure about my involvement in the alleged offences. I have earlier cooperated during the investigation of the case by the CBI. I am doing this without any pressure or undue influence upon me by the CBI or any other person,” said Arora.
ED questions PA of Manish Sisodia in liquor scam case
Meanwhile, in another development in the case, on Saturday, November 5, Enforcement Directorate questioned Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s personal assistant Devendra Sharma. According to the reports, the ED officials also conducted raids at Sharma’s residence.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) listed Sisodia as an accused in an FIR filed in August over suspected anomalies in the Delhi liquor policy. On August 19, the CBI raided 31 locations around the country, including Sisodia’s home. While Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said it was an effort to coerce Sisodia and other MLAs into joining the BJP and destabilizing the government, the BJP denied the allegations.
The CBI summoned the Delhi minister for interrogation last month. Following this, Sisodia had claimed that after nine hours of questioning, he was asked to quit AAP and that the case against him was intended to ensure the success of ‘Operation Lotus’.
However, the CBI later published a statement rejecting Sisodia’s accusations, claiming that he was examined only on the basis of charges in the First Information Report and the material gathered throughout the investigation. The excise scheme came under scrutiny when the Delhi LG proposed a CBI investigation into potential anomalies in the execution of Delhi’s Excise Policy 2021-22. In addition, the LG suspended 11 excise officers.
