P Sharath Chandra Reddy, a key accused, arrested last month in connection with the Delhi Excise scam money laundering probe, moved an application at a Special Rouse Avenue court on Monday seeking regular bail in the matter.
The application was filed by Reddy before the court of special Judge MK Nagpal after his judicial custody was extended by another 14 days, till December 19 on the ED’s recommendation. Reddy, has been in jail along with another accused Binoy Babu, after the ED finished quizzing them in custody on November 21. The bail application will be taken up for hearing on December 13.
Reddy, whole-time director and promoter of Aurobindo Pharma and Binoy Babu of Pernod Ricard were arrested by the ED and produced before the court on November 10. The court granted ED permission to quiz the two in remand and confront them with the accused and witnesses, till November 21. Babu has not moved the court for bail as yet.
The ED has alleged that Reddy is one of the kingpins and major beneficiaries in the entire Delhi Excise policy scam. The agency said that Reddy was effectively controlling five retail zones through his group company, Trident Chemphar Pvt Ltd and proxy entities, namely Organomixx Ecosystems and Sri Avantika Contractors in violation of the Excise Policy, which barred any person from controlling more than two retail zones.
It was also alleged that Reddy was a key partner in the biggest cartel, named the "South Group" by Dinesh Arora, an accused turned approver, in his statement of manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers.
Meanwhile, the ED had filed some explosive facts in connection with the case, which now has political implications beyond the National Capital Region of Delhi while seeking the remand of businessman Amit Arora who was arrested last week. The agency also mentioned in the remand application the name of K Chandra Shekhar Rao’s daughter Kavitha along with the names of YSRC MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy and his son Raghava. Arora is currently in ED custody for interrogation till December 7.
The ED officials stated in Arora’s remand application that Kavitha had changed her mobile phone's International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) six times after the case was handed over to the agency for investigation.
Further, the ED analysed the data based on the IMEI and found that digital evidence was destroyed to hamper the investigation. Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia’s name was also figured in the application for allegedly changing the handset several times.
According to ED officials, the investigation found that Vijay Nair, another accused closely associated with the AAP, received kickbacks worth Rs 100 crore on behalf of AAP leaders from the ‘South Group’, which is controlled by Sharath Chandra Reddy, K. Kavitha, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, and Amit Arora. Arora has revealed this in his statements, the ED alleged.
Further, the ED claimed that extensive digital evidence was destroyed on purpose to stymie the investigation. "As many as 36 suspects/accused involved in the case have destroyed their 176 cell phones and laptops after the case was handed over to the agency. The ED has been able to retrieve data from 17 out of 170 cell phones. The ED officials also found the mobile phones destroyed by Kavita, Srujan Reddy, Arun Pillai, Abhishek Boinapally, Butchi Babu Gorantla, and Sharath Reddy,” the ED stated in its remand report.
The accused Amit Arora, according to the ED officials, was instrumental in the Delhi liquor scam case by engaging in unfair business practices to gain an undue advantage.