The Supreme Courtroom on Friday granted bail to the regional head of liquor firm Pernod Ricard, who was arrested in a case pertaining to alleged irregularities within the now-scrapped excise coverage of the Delhi authorities, reported Bar and Bench.
The Enforcement Directorate, which is investigating the cash laundering facet of the case, had arrested the corporate’s regional head Benoy Babu in November final yr.
The Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate have alleged that the Aam Aadmi Celebration authorities in Delhi modified the liquor excise coverage that got here into impact in November 2021 to make sure a 12% revenue margin for wholesalers and a virtually 185% revenue margin for retailers.
The excise coverage was withdrawn on July 30, 2022, with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena recommending an investigation into the alleged irregularities within the regime.
The Enforcement Directorate alleged that Babu colluded with Sameer Mahandru, the managing director of liquor manufacturing firm Indospirit, and others to create a “nexus of manufactures-wholesalers-retailers to realize market share by unethical means”.
Nevertheless, on Friday, senior advocate Harish Salve, showing for Babu, informed the courtroom that he held a junior place within the firm and had no position within the firm’s policy-making, reported Bar and Bench. Salve additionally informed the courtroom that Babu solely met with the opposite accused individuals within the case after the coverage was handed.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti mentioned that the Enforcement Directorate can’t hold somebody in jail for 13 months with out framing any fees.
“This isn’t correct,” Justice Khanna mentioned. “You can not hold individuals in pre-trial detention for thus lengthy. Extra accused are nonetheless to be introduced in.”
The highest courtroom additionally mentioned that there gave the impression to be contradictions between the allegations of the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, reported Deccan Herald.