Five accused in CBI excise probe get interim bail

The court sought the stand of the CBI on the regular bail applications of these five accused and posted the matter for hearing on January 24

A Delhi court on Tuesday granted interim bail to five accused in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged irregularities in Delhi’s 2021-22 excise policy. None of the five had been arrested by the central agency.

Sameer Mahendru, along with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) communication strategist Vijay Nair and businessman Abhishek Boinpally, were produced from judicial custody after they were arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the money laundering aspect of the alleged liquor scam. (PTI File)

Special judge MK Nagpal granted bail to former excise department officials Kuldeep Singh and Narender Singh on a personal bond of ₹50,000 and one surety of like amount. Additionally, the court granted interim relief to businessmen Sameer Mahendru, Goutam Mootha and Arun Pillai.

The court sought the stand of the CBI on the regular bail applications of these five accused and posted the matter for hearing on January 24.

The accused appeared after they were summoned by the court on December 15, 2022, taking cognizance of the CBI’s charge sheet in the case.

Mahendru, along with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) communication strategist Vijay Nair and businessman Abhishek Boinpally, were produced from judicial custody after they were arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the money laundering aspect of the alleged liquor scam.

Special judge Nagpal noted the statement of witnesses, the contents of the charge sheet, and both verbal and documentary evidence collected during the course of investigation.

The court had also noted that various other incriminating facts and circumstances showing the existence of the criminal conspiracy and its execution to achieve the illegal objective have also been specifically alleged in the charge sheet.

To be sure, Mahendru will remain in judicial custody as he was previously arrested by the Enforcement Directorate as part of an alleged money laundering case pertaining to the excise policy.

The Delhi government’s 2021-22 excise policy aimed to revitalize the city’s flagging liquor business. It aimed to replace a sales-volume based regime with a license fee one for traders, and promised swankier stores, free of the infamous metal grilles, ultimately giving customers a better buying experience. The policy also introduced discounts and offers on the purchase of liquor, a first for Delhi.

The plan, however, came to an abrupt end, with Delhi’s lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena recommending a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the regime. This ultimately resulted in the policy being scrapped prematurely and being replaced by the 2020-21 regime, with the AAP alleging that Saxena’s predecessor sabotaged the move with a few last-minute changes that resulted in lower-than-expected revenues.