New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday filed a chargesheet naming former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, alleging that he was the mastermind of the whole scam.
Sisodia has been named along with businessman Amandeep Singh Dhall, Hyderabad-based CA Butchibabu Gorantla, and a person named Arjun Pandey in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case,
All have been charged under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 7 (Offence relating to public servant being bribed), 7A (Taking undue advantage to influence public servant by corrupt or illegal means or by exercise of personal influence), 8 (Offence relating to bribing of a public servant) and 12 (Punishment for abetment of offences) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Till now, the CBI has arrested five accused and chargesheeted 11 accused persons. Earlier, the CBI had filed a chargesheet against Sameer Mahendru, Vijay Nair, Abhishek Boinpelly, Gautam Mutha, Arun Pillai, and excise officials Kuldeep and Narendra Singh.
This is the first time that the CBI has named Sisodia, who's is in judicial custody for nearly two months now, in its charge sheet. The CBI had earlier filed a charge sheet in the same case against seven persons.
Gorantla is alleged to be the chartered accountant/auditor of K Kavitha, former Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MP and daughter of Telangana CM K Chandrasekhara Rao. Amandeep Dhal is the owner of Brindco spirits, while Pandey is said to be a middleman who moved money between liquor operators such as Sameer Mahendru and allegedly corrupt bureaucrats, reports The Indian Express.
Sisodia, who is currently in jail, was arrested by the CBI in the case on February 26. Rejecting Sisodia’s bail plea on March 31, a Delhi court has said he had “played the most important and vital role” in the criminal conspiracy and he had been “deeply involved in formulation as well as implementation” of the excise policy to “ensure achievement of objectives of the said conspiracy”.
According to claims made by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, which is probing the case for alleged money laundering, AAP leaders allegedly received kickbacks to the tune of Rs 100 crore from a group of individuals identified as the “South Group”.
In two prosecution complaints (equivalent to chargesheets), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed that members of the so-called South Group paid bribes to exploit the loopholes in the excise policy that would secure their uninhibited access to various wholesale businesses and retail zones in violation of rules.
Sources said that the CBI has alleged in the chargesheet that liquor businessman Amandeep Dhall, the director of Brindco Sales Pvt Ltd, was in criminal conspiracy with the accused Vijay Nair and the South Group for generating cash towards payment of 6 percent commission out of the enhanced 12 percent profit margin.