Excise police case: Delhi court sends businessman Dinesh Arora to 14-day judicial custody

A Delhi court on Monday sent businessman Dinesh Arora to 14 days of judicial custody in a case related to excise policy case involving former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

On expiry of his six-day Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody, Arora was produced before Special Judge M K Nagpal of Rouse Avenue Court.

Arora moved an interim bail plea on grounds of his wife’s ill health and an application seeking separate jail stating he be sent to that lockup where other accused of this case aren’t there.

Judge Nagpal listed Arora’s bail plea to be heard on July 25 and directed the jail authorities to keep him in a separate jail where other accused are not confined related to this case.

Earlier, the probe agency had said that Arora’s interrogation was necessary to uncover a broader conspiracy related to the case.

During his custody, he was confronted with certain persons and documents involved in relation to payment transfer of cash and proceeds of crime, the ED had earlier apprised the court.

According to ED, Arora also revealed some important facts and names of people receiving proceeds of crime.

On the basis of the information provided by him, searches are being carried out in Delhi and NCR which will lead to recovery of incriminating material, the ED had said.

ED had arrested Arora on June 6. The probe agency had claimed in its previous charge sheet that Arora gave Rs 82 lakh to Sisodia, for the collection of party funds for the upcoming assembly elections in Delhi.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had moved a plea before a special court seeking permission to make him an approver in the case. Arora has been declared prosecution witness in the case of Delhi Excise case registered with CBI.

On June 1, Sharath Chandra Reddy of Aurbindo Group turned an approver in the ED case. He was previously charge-sheeted by the probe agency in the matter.

The ED had claimed in the supplementary charge sheet that Vijay Nair, on behalf of leaders of AAP received kickbacks to the tune of Rs 100 crore from South Group, whose prominent persons are Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, Raghav Magunta, Sarath Reddy and K Kavitha, the daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.