Hyderabad-Based Arun Ramachandra Pillai Arrested By ED: Find Out All About The 11th Arrest In Delhi Liquor Scam Case Here

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today, 7 March, arrested Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai in connection with the Delhi liquor scam.

This follows Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia's arrest on charges of corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22.

Pillai is the 11th person to be held in connection with the case.

The ED has alleged that Pillai collected bribes from Sameer Mahendru, the managing director of Indospirit, and handed them over to other accused individuals. He was the part of the ‘South Group’.

The ED and CBI claim that Pillai received a 32.5 per cent stake in Indospirits. Due to the cartelisation resulting from the AAP government's new excise policy, the company generated a net profit of Rs 68 crores. Of this amount, Rs 29 crore (equivalent to 61 per cent of the total profits) was transferred to Pillai's account or affiliated accounts in exchange for his shareholding and investment of Rs 3.40 crore.

This payment was allegedly made as a kickback of Rs 25 crore that had been pre-paid to leaders of the AAP party by liquor manufacturers from South.

The ED found that Pillai transferred Rs 4.75 crore to the account of accused Mootha Goutam, who owns a TV channel. Additionally, Rs 3.85 crore was transferred to the bank account of a beauty salon owned by relatives of BRS MLC Kavitha Kalvakuntla.

The CBI had previously searched Pillai's residence in Kokapet and attached some of his properties, including land worth Rs. 2.2 crore in Vattinagulapalli.

(with inputs from agencies)