Arun Pillai's bail plea in Excise Policy Scam: Delhi Court seeks ED's response

Excise Policy Scam: The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has received a bail petition from Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramachandran Pillai in connection with the alleged Excise Policy Scam. 

Special Judge MK Nagpal has asked for a response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the bail plea and has scheduled the hearing for May 10. The ED recently filed a supplementary complaint in the liquor scam case against businessmen Amandeep Dhall and Arun Ramachandran Pillai. 

The chargesheet states that Pillai gave false statements during the investigation under section 50 of PMLA, 2002. 

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"Arun Pillai has actively participated in evidence destruction and has changed/used/destroyed five mobile phones in the span of two years. The phones used by Arun Pillai during the period of the scam have not been produced by him during the investigation," ED stated.

The ED alleges that Pillai actively participated in evidence destruction by changing, using, and destroying five mobile phones in two years. The phones used during the scam have not been produced during the investigation. 

The chats with Pillai found from other persons' phones have not been found from his phones, indicating evidence destruction. Pillai has allegedly filed a retraction of all his statements during the investigation given under section 50 of PMLA to create a legal facade and derail the investigation. 

In September 2021, there was a meeting at Taj Mansingh, and Pernod had confirmed to Indo Spirits. Sameer Mahendru had met BRS leader K Kavitha in early 2022 at her house, where she said that Arun is like family to her, and doing business with Arun is doing business with Kavitha. 

"In that meeting, Kavitha said to Sameer that Arun is like family to her and doing business with Arun is doing business with Kavitha. She also said that they will take this relationship to a larger scale in multiple states and expand majorly. Kavitha asked about the issues that Indo Spirits LI was facing in the first few months of operations and Sh Sameer briefed her about those," the agency stated.

The ED and CBI allege that irregularities were committed while modifying the Excise Policy, and undue favours were extended to licence holders, causing a loss of Rs 144.36 crore to the exchequer. 

The Union Home Ministry instituted the case on a reference from Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.

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