Excise 'scam': Delhi High Court grants bail to businessman Arun Pillai in ED case

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai in a money-laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

“Bail granted,” said Justice Neena Bansal Krishna while allowing the relief. Pillai was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the matter on March 6.

According to the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), irregularities were committed while modifying the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 and undue favours extended to licence holders.

The Delhi government had implemented the excise policy on November 17, 2021, but scrapped it at the end of September 2022 amid allegations of corruption.

The ED has claimed that Pillai was a close associate of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha, an accused in the case, and represented the “South Group” at meetings with other accused when the excise policy was being formulated and implemented.

The “South Group” is allegedly a cartel of liquor businessmen and politicians who were claimed to have paid Rs 100 crore in kickbacks to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi for favours.

The Supreme Court granted bail to Kavitha in the excise policy cases on August 27.

Senior advocate Mohit Mathur and advocate Nitesh Rana appeared in the high court for Pillai.

The court recently granted bail to liquor businessman Sameer Mahendru and AAP volunteer Chanpreet Singh Rayat in the matter.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and several others are accused in the excise policy cases.