After the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday filed the chargesheetagainst liquor businessman Sameer Mahandru and two others in the Delhi excise money laundering case.
Spread over 3,000 pages, the ED prosecution complaint or chargesheet submitted before a designated Rouse Avenue court named Mahendru, who was earlier arrested by the sleuths, as one of the kingpins and a major beneficiary of the liquor business cartelisation which was against the stated policy recommended by a committee of the Delhi Excise Department. The prosecution complaint has been filed under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Sisodia not mentioned
Similar to the CBI chargesheet filed on Friday against seven of the 15 accused, excluding Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, the ED’s prosecution complaint too is believed to be silent on the AAP leader’s role. But the ED has not given a clean chit so far to Sisodia since the probe against other accused continues and the Delhi Deputy CM’s name is mentioned in the FIR, said sources.
According to the ED, Mahendru owned a 35 percent stake in Indospirit LLP that got a wholesale L1 licence as well as two retail zone licences under the Khao Gali restaurant’s name after the controversial Delhi excise policy was rolled out by the AAP government. The restaurant’s ownership is with his father-in-law “but (he) used to take all financial decisions in Khao Gali”, the ED alleged.
The ED suspected that the ₹50 crore profit the company made between November 17, 2011, and August 31, 2022, was undue benefit generated out of criminal activities and was again layered and laundered in the guise of profit through various persons and entities.
Though the excise policy barred the same person or entity from controlling and manufacturing or doing wholesale and retail business, Mahendru was allegedly doing it allegedly in connivance with the Delhi government servants and businessmen.