Delhi excise policy: ED arrests AAP leader Vijay Nair, Hyderabad-based businessman Abhishek Boinpally

“Nair and Boinpally were in judicial custody in Tihar Jail after they were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the same case. After seeking their custody from a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court, the ED has made their arrest,” an official said. Notably, Boinpally is not named as an accused in the CBI FIR pertaining to the case, but his alleged associate Arun Ramchandra Pillai is.

The CBI had alleged that Pillai used to collect undue pecuniary advantage from Sameer Mahendru, managing director of Indospirit Group, for onward transmission to the accused public servant through Nair, who was communications in-charge of the AAP.

The CBI FIR stated: “Praveen Kumar Rai, Director, MHA… has conveyed directions of competent authority for enquiry into the matter of irregularities in framing and implementation of excise policy of GNCTD of Delhi for the year 2021-22 by Central Bureau of Investigation. He has also forwarded a letter of L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena alleging irregularities in framing and implementation of the excise policy. The OM is enclosed herewith, which discloses that Manish Sisodia, Deputy CM; Arava Gopi Krishna, then Commissioner (Excise); Anand Tiwari, then Deputy Commissioner (Excise); and Pankaj Bhatnagar, Assistant Commissioner (Excise) were instrumental in recommending and taking decisions pertaining to excise policy for 2021-22 without approval of competent authority with an intention to extend undue favours to licensees post tender.”

“Apart from the above, reliable sources have revealed that Vijay Nair, former CEO of Only Much Louder, an entertainment and event management company; Manoj Rai, ex-employee of Pernod Ricard; Amandeep Dhal, owner of Brindco Spirits; and Sameer Mahendru, owner of Indospirit, are actively involved in irregularities in framing and implementation of excise policy,” the CBI claimed in its FIR.

“Source further revealed some of the L-1 licence holders are issuing credit notes to retail vendors with an ab-initio intention to divert the funds as undue pecuniary advantage to public servants. In furtherance to this, they are showing false entries in their books of accounts to keep their record straight,” the FIR claimed.