Excise Policy PMLA Case: Delhi Court Reserves Order On Vinod Chauhan Chargesheet

The Rouse Avenue court on Thursday has reserved an order on cognizance of the supplementary charge sheet filed against Vinod Chauhan and Ashish Mathur in connection with the alleged money laundering case linked to Delhi excise policy.

The court is likely to pronounce the order on cognizance on July 9.

On the same day, a supplementary charge sheet filed against Arvind Kejriwal and AAP is also listed on the point of cognizance.

Special judge Kaveri Baweja reserved the order after hearing submissions of ED’s Special Public Prosecutor NK Matta and Investigation Officer.

What ED Alleges?

ED alleged that Vinod Chauhan was involved in sending money to Chanpreet Singh through hawala dealers. However, it is also stated that Rs.1.06 crores were also recovered from Vinod Chauhan.

ED’s SPP submitted that the Agency traced the money trail of the proceeds of crime which were used to fund AAP Goa assembly polls.

It is alleged that South Group’s Abhishek Boinpally allegedly gave Ashok Kaushik 2 bags of cash who then gave them to Chauhan.

Ashish Mathur, also named with Chauhan in the 8th supplementary chargesheet allegedly took this money on behalf of Chauhan and gave it to various angadias who then transferred it to co-accused Chanpreet.

This money was then used in the Goa elections.

Case History

On June 28, the ED on Friday has filed a supplementary prosecution complaint (chargesheet) in connection with the Excise policy case.

The chargesheet has been filed against Vinod Chauhan, who is accused of transferring bribes allegedly received by the Aam Aadmi Party through hawala, in connection with the Delhi excise policy-linked money-laundering case.

Vinod Chauhan is a person who allegedly has a role in money sent for AAP’s Goa election through Chanpreet Singh. Chauhan was allegedly in touch with Arvind Kejriwal.

Chauhan got arrested by the ED on May 3 and is in judicial custody. Chauhan was arrested from Goa’s ED Zonal Office.

He got allegedly involved in the transfer of the amount of Rs.25.5 crores out of Rs.45 crores which was used in the AAP Goa elections.

While appearing for ED in May, Advocates Zoheb Hossain and Naveen Kumar Matta submitted that Chauhan was aware of the fact that the money was related to the Delhi liquor excise policy scam and was in deep nexus with the key conspirators.

ED alleged, he was primarily involved in Hawala transfers and cash movements and also acted as a middleman for bureaucrats and politicians.
It was also stated that searches were conducted at various locations and Rs 1.06 crores was seized from his residence.

The agency claimed that he knew the amount of Rs.1.06 crores was from the South Group and was holding it for AAP leaders.

In the Excise case, the ED & CBI alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced and the L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority’s approval.

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