NEW DELHI: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) arrested businessman Amandeep Dhall on Wednesday after questioning him for several hours about the alleged laundering of kickback money generated through liquor traders who benefitted out of the ‘tweaked’ Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
Dhall’s arrest comes close to the heels of the arrest of ex-Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) last Sunday.
Dhall, who was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), is also a co-accused in the CBI’s FIR filed in August 2022. Seeking his remand while producing him in the court of Special Judge MK Nagpal, ED counsel NK Matta said that despite being questioned at least 10 times in the past, Dhall withheld important information crucial for the investigation of the case and did not cooperate with the agency.
“However, investigations into the matter and disclosures made by the accused and witnesses clearly outline his role in the entire scam which now needs to be corroborated and established and thus his interrogation was necessary,” Matta submitted. The court remanded Dhall in ED custody for five days.
According to the ED, investigations revealed that Dhall not only played a key role in the formulation of the Delhi excise policy brought in by the AAP government, which was approved and implemented by Sisodia but also played an important role in the conspiracy of payments of kickback by the ‘South Group’ and its recoupment.
Dhall allegedly did this through a credit note mechanism and taking out cash through several licensees.
According to the ED, “Dhall was in possession of the draft Excise Policy on May 31 2021 whereas the policy was released on the website of the Excise department only in July 2021.
He was also responsible for influencing the drafting of the policy which would make possible through provisions generation of kickbacks through various beneficiaries – primarily the liquor traders of the South Group comprising prominent persons including Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, Raghav Magunta, Sharath Reddy and K Kavitha.”
Amandeep Dhall is also co-accused in CBI’s FIR
Amandeep Dhall, who was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), is also a co-accused in the CBI’s FIR filed in August 2022. Dhall’s arrest comes close on the heels of the arrest of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by the CBI last Sunday. The court remanded Dhall in ED custody for five days. ED alleged that Dhall played a key role in the formulation of the policy.
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