Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court has granted five days’ custodial parole to Hyderabad businessman Arun Ramachandra Pillai, arrested in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi Excise Policy scam, on the grounds of his wife’s ill health. The Supreme Court granted relief on the application of the accused in which it was claimed that his wife needed to undergo surgery. The ED had claimed that the accused is a close associate of K Kavitha, MLC of BRS Party and daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, and an alleged leader of a liquor gang.
Who is Arun Ramachandra Pillai?
Pillai, the accused in the Delhi Excise Policy case, is part of the ‘South Group’, which had allegedly sent a ‘bribe’ of Rs 100 crore to the leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party. According to the ED, Pillai is a key figure in the south-based liquor manufacturing group, Indo Spirits. He was given 32.5% share of the company. He is a Hyderabad-based liquor businessman who was accused of money laundering and providing illegal gratification to public servants to obtain liquor license in Delhi.
Allegations against Pillai
According to the ED, out of the Rs 68 crore profit that Indo Spirits had allegedly earned through cartelization, Rs 29 crore was transferred to Pillai’s accounts. The ED found during investigation that Pillai paid Rs 4.75 crore to a TV channel owner and Rs 3.85 crore to Abhishek Boinapally, one of the other accused arrested in the case. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is in jail from last 9 months in this liquor policy matter. AAP MP Sanjay Singh has also been arrested on 5th October and sent to jail.
