CBI Arrests ED Officials For Taking Bribe To Save Accused In Delhi Liquor Scam Case

Cash worth Rs 2.19 crore was also seized during the search operation from Praveen Vats’ home, providing more evidence that money was exchanged.

Written by Shivanshi Srivastava August 28, 2023

The accused named in the FIR have been identified as Vikramaditya, CEO of Claridges Hotels and Resorts, Pawan Khatri, Assistant Director, ED, Nitesh Kohar, Upper Division Clerk, Deepak Sangwan, Employee of Air India, Amandeep Singh Dhall, Birender Pal Singh, and Chartered Accountant Praveen Kumar Vats.

It was discovered that a number of specific individuals were engaged in the activity of accepting bribe under the guise of Senior ED officers throughout the course of an investigation into the Delhi Liquor Scam case.

“From the statements of various persons recorded under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, it was prima facie revealed that Aman Dhall (accused in the Delhi Liqour scam case and arrested by both ED and CBI) and Birender Pal Singh (father of Aman Dhall) had given Rs 5 crore (initially Rs 3 crore in the month of December 2022-January 2023 and then Rs 2 crore) to one Praveen Vats (Chartered Accountant) for arranging help in ED in respect of the ongoing investigation in liquor case against Aman Dhall,” an official statement said.

In his statement, the accused Praveen Vats claimed that Deepak Sangwan, an assistant general manager at Air India, had promised to help Aman Dhall in the ED’s liquor scam case by keeping him from being arrested in exchange for a sum of money. In December 2022 Deepak Sangwan introduced him to Pawan Khatri, Assistant Director.

“On the basis of said assurance of Deepak Sangwan, accused Praveen Vats had taken Rs 3 crore from Aman Dhall in six tranches of Rs 50 lakhs each in the month of December 2022-January 2023. Thereafter, Deepak Sangwan proposed that Aman Dhall be taken out from the accused list in the case for an additional amount of Rs 2 crore,” an official statement said.

Cash worth Rs 2.19 crore was also seized during the search operation from Praveen Vats’ home, providing more evidence that money was exchanged. Additional liquor scam-related documents seized from Pawan Khatri, Assistant Director’s home, further suggest his improper involvement in the investigation.

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