Delhi excise policy case: SC refuses urgent hearing on ED's plea against interim bail to businessman Sameer Mahendru

New Delhi [India], June 21 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to give an urgent listing to the Enforcement Directorate plea against the Delhi High Court order granting six-week interim bail to businessman Sameer Mahendru on medical grounds in a money laundering case relating to now scrapped Delhi liquor excise policy.

A vacation bench of justices Surya Kant and MM Sundresh also remarked that the High Court should have at least this much discretion and remarked that people are languishing in jails.

ED's lawyer mentioned the plea and sought an urgent listing. ED has moved the top court challenging the Delhi High Court order granting interim bail to Delhi-based businessman Sameer Mahendru.

Earlier in February the trial Court had also granted interim bail to businessman Sameer Mahendru on medical grounds. On December 20, 2022, the trial court took cognizance of a Prosecution Complaint (Chargesheet) filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case revolving around an excise policy case. The Chargesheet was filed against businessman Sameer Mahendru and four firms.

The ED and the CBI had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the Excise Policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced and the L-1 licence was 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.

The FIR in the case was instituted on a reference from the Union Home Ministry following a recommendation from Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.

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