Delhi excise case: CBI files FIR against senior ED official for taking bribe
Delhi excise case: In connection with the ongoing probe into the Delhi liquor scam, the Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a case against a top official of the Enforcement Directorate and the chief of a hotel chain. The case names Pawan Khatri, Assistant Director of the ED, Vikramaditya Singh, the CEO of a well-known hotel chain, and Deepak Sangwan, an Air India employee.
The ED is looking into the money laundering case involving former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and others, including Amandeep Singh Dhall. He was arrested earlier this year by the agency.
The ED claims Pawan Khatri and Nitesh Kohar, an ED clerk, took a bribe of 5 crore through conduits to assist Amandeep Singh Dhall.
According to the complaint, Dhall and his father, Birender Pal Singh, informed ED officers that they had given Praveen Vats, a Chartered Accountant, 5 crores between December 2022 and January 2023 to "arrange help" in the ED probe into Dhall's case.
According to the ED's complaint to the CBI dated August 7, Praveen Vats and Deepak Sangwan, an Air India employee, took 5 crore from Dhall under the guise of assisting him in the liquor policy money laundering case through Pawan Khatri.
"Vats stated that of the amount received from Dhall, 50 lakhs was given to Sangwan and Khatri as advance as demanded by them in mid-December," according to the agency's complaint.
Dhall's father wanted a refund when his son was arrested in March of this year. According to Vats, 1 crore was returned to him on June 29 in the presence of Khatri.
Vikramaditya Singh stated in his statement that Aman Dhall approached him for assistance and that he asked Vats to assist him. Vats assured him that "after deducting expenses with ED officials and other expenses, the remaining amount will be divided between them equally," according to the ED's complaint.
Following the complaint, the CBI filed a corruption case against Khatri, Kohar, Sangwan, Vats, Vikramaditya Singh, Amandeep Singh Dhall, and BP Singh for allegedly using bribes to influence the ED's probe into the Delhi liquor policy issue.
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- With inputs from agencies
