Delhi Excise Policy Case: ED Makes Another Arrest, Seeks 14-Day Custody

The ED accused Arora of allegedly destroying large-scale digital evidence to derail the investigation.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Twitter Profile Photo

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) sought 14-day custodial interrogation of Gurugram-based businessman Amit Arora in connection with Delhi's excise policy scam, news agency ANI reported. 

The ED accused Arora of allegedly destroying large-scale digital evidence to derail the investigation.

Delhi Excise Policy scam | Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeks 14-day custodial interrogation of Amit Arora and alleges that large scale destruction of digital evidence done by the accused to derail the investigation.

— ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2022

He was arrested today by the Enforcement Directorate under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Arora, the accused number ninth in the ED and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)'s FIR, is the owner of Buddy Retail Pvt Limited located in Gurugram, IANS reported.

On September 7, the ED arrested businessman Sameer Mahendru for the first time in this case. Last week, the economic intelligence agency filed its first charge sheet in the matter.

Running over 3,000 pages, the first charge sheet was filed against businessman Mahendru. 

There are allegations that Arun Ramchandra Pillai, a resident of Kokapet in Hyderabad, used to collect undue pecuniary advantage from Mahendru for onward transmission to accused public servant Vijay Nair.

It is alleged the Delhi government’s policy to grant licenses to liquor traders was influenced in favour of certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge strongly refuted by Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The ED filed its case on the basis of the FIR of the CBI.

On Friday, the CBI filed its first charge sheet in the matter. It has charge sheeted Vijay Nair, Abhishek Boinpally, Sameer Mahendru, Arun Ramchandra Pillai, Mootha Gautham, and two public servants -- the then Deputy Commissioner of Excise Department Kuldeep Singh and the then Assistant Commissioner of Excise Department Narender Singh.

(With Inputs From Agencies)