Liquor Policy: Delhi High Court Grants Bail To Amandeep Singh Dhall, Amit Arora

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted bail to businessmen Amandeep Singh Dhall and Amit Arora in the money laundering case connected to the alleged excise policy scam case.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna pronounced the judgment and allowed the regular bail pleas filed by Dhall and Arora.

Arora was granted interim bail on medical grounds in August. He is the director of Gurugram-based company Buddy Retail Pvt. Ltd.

He was arrested by the ED on November 29, 2022. As per allegations, he was a close associate of Manish Sisodia, actively involved in managing illicit money collected from liquor licensees.

On the other hand, Dhall, who is the businessman and director of Brindco Sales Private Limited, was denied bail in the CBI case in June.

He was arrested on March 1, 2023, by the ED. It was alleged that Dhall was involved in the formulation of the liquor policy and in facilitating kickbacks to the Aam Aadmi Party. His bail plea in the corruption case is pending before the Apex Court.

Recently, Justice Krishna granted bail to co accused, Hyderabad-based business Arun Ramchandran Pillai, in the money laundering case.

The CBI had registered a case on August 17, 2022, under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC read with provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Five days later, ED also registered a case alleging that accused persons were "actively involved in the conspiracy of drafting" the Delhi Excise Policy 2021- 22 and were also involved in forming the cartel and also participated in the conspiracy of kickbacks, payments of the same and its recoupment.

Title: Amit Arora v. ED and other connected matter

Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Del) 1023