The ED is probing allegations of cash laundering because of the coverage

New Delhi:

Liquor businessman Sameer Mahendru was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) right this moment in reference to Delhi’s now expelled excise coverage that has triggered a large face-off between the ruling AAP and the BJP.

The arrest of Mr Mahendru, managing director of Indospirits that distributes liquor, comes a day after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Vijay Nair, AAP’s communications chief and an in depth aide of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

The CBI is investigating if the coverage, which was withdrawn eight months after its launch final November, aided liquor cartels. The ED is probing allegations of cash laundering because of the coverage.

The ED’s case relies on the CBI FIR that alleges Arjun Pandey, an alleged affiliate of Mr Sisodia, as soon as collected about Rs 2 crore in money from Mr Mahendru on behalf of Mr Nair.

Mr Mahendru, it’s learnt, was arrested below the Prevention of Cash Laundering Act following a night-long questioning session.

He’s anticipated to be produced earlier than a neighborhood court docket, the place the ED will search his additional remand.

The AAP has harassed that its coverage was aimed toward curbing corruption and accused the BJP of misusing central companies for political targets. The get together has mentioned that the BJP is concentrating on it to counter the problem posed by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal forward of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Following Mr Nair’s arrest yesterday, the AAP mentioned he “has nothing to do with excise coverage” and that the case is “baseless”.

“Vijay Nair is communication in-charge of AAP. He was accountable for creating and implementing communication methods in Punjab earlier and Gujarat now,” the get together assertion learn. It mentioned the arrest is “a part of BJP’s ongoing try to crush AAP and impede AAP’s Gujarat marketing campaign”.

The CBI has alleged that bribes from a liquor agency proprietor have been collected via Mr Nair, whom it described as the previous CEO of Solely A lot Louder, an leisure and occasion administration firm primarily based in Mumbai.

The AAP has alleged that Mr Nair was arrested after he refused to buckle below the company’s stress to implicate Mr Sisodia.

“He was known as for questioning previous few days and was pressurised to take the title of Manish Sisodia. When he refused to try this, he was threatened that he could be arrested. His home was raided twice in final one month however nothing was discovered,” the get together mentioned.

BJP leaders have alleged big corruption within the now withdrawn liquor coverage that allowed retailers to supply massive reductions to draw consumers. The BJP has mentioned the coverage was a fraud on the individuals of Delhi.

The CBI probe was beneficial by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, who has alleged that the coverage was applied “with the only purpose” of benefiting personal liquor barons by inflicting big losses to the exchequer.