Excise PMLA case: Businessman Amandeep Dhall moves Delhi HC for bail

New Delhi [India], June 17 : Delhi-based businessman Amandeep Singh Dhall has approached Delhi High Court challenging the trial court order dismissing his bail plea in a money laundering case related to the one pertaining to the now-junked liquor policy.

A bench of Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju is scheduled to hear the bail plea on June 19.

Recently, the trial court refused to grant bail to Dhall in both CBI and ED cases.

Trial court Judge MK Nagpal, while passing the order, stated, "Prima facie evidence leads this court to form an opinion that the allegations made by prosecution against the applicant are serious in nature and he is not entitled to be released on bail even in this scheduled offences case of CBI."

Amandeep Singh Dhall, an executive director of Brindco Sales Private Limited, was arrested on March 1 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the excise policy case. Later, in April, he was also arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the same case.

According to the ED, Dhall, a Delhi-based businessman, allegedly conspired with other persons and is actively involved in the formation of policy and facilitating kickbacks to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its recoupment by the South Group through various means.

According to the CBI, during the course of searches conducted at the premises of Dhall on August 19, 2022, certain incriminating documents related to the excise policy were seized and they show the involvement of the applicant in the commission of the alleged offences in the CBI case.

Though he joined the investigation of this case on 10 different occasions and also provided some information and documents during the initial probe, he since failed to give any satisfactory reply or explanation on the oral and other documentary evidence which surfaced on record showing his involvement in the conspiracy and cartel, the CBI stated, adding that he was rightly arrested in this case and, thus, not entitled to be released on bail.

The ED and the CBI have alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy while undue favours were extended to licence holders, licence fee was waived or reduced and L-1 licence extended without the competent authority's approval. The beneficiaries diverted "illegal" gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection.

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