Excise Policy Case: Delhi HC Reserves Order On Amandeep Dhall’s Bail Plea

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday reserved its decision on the bail plea of Amandeep Singh Dhall, a Delhi-based businessman and director of Brindco Sales Private Limited.

Dhall is involved in a money laundering case connected to the controversial excise policy.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna reserved the order after hearing arguments from both sides. Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan, representing Dhall, argued for bail on the basis of parity, noting that others involved in the case, such as Manish Sisodia, K Kavitha, and Vijay Nair, had been granted bail by the Supreme Court. Krishnan emphasized that the trial is expected to be lengthy and that Dhall, along with the other accused, has already been in custody for several months.

On the other side, Advocate Vivek Gurnani, representing the Directorate of Enforcement, opposed the bail plea, accusing Dhall of attempting to influence witnesses, bribe officials, and obstruct the investigation while in custody. Gurnani pointed to substantial digital evidence and witness statements that support these claims. He argued that the delay in the trial was due to Dhall’s actions, making his case different from those who have been granted bail.

Earlier, on June 4, the Delhi High Court had denied Dhall bail in the related CBI case, citing the seriousness of the allegations and the evidence gathered by the prosecution. The court also noted that charges had yet to be framed and that an FIR had been registered against Dhall for allegedly bribing an ED officer to remove his name from the case.

Dhall, who was arrested on March 1, 2023, by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, is accused of being involved in the formulation of the liquor policy and facilitating kickbacks to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which were allegedly funneled back by the South Group.

Both the ED and CBI allege that there were irregularities in modifying the excise policy, including undue favors to license holders, waivers or reductions in license fees, and extensions of the L-1 license without proper approval. These irregularities allegedly led to the diversion of “illegal” gains to the accused officials, who then falsified their accounts to evade detection. Dhall’s bail plea in the CBI case is currently being reviewed by the Supreme Court.

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