Delhi liquor policy case: Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, KCR daughter named in ED chargesheet

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha have been named in the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi liquor policy case. Kavitha was part of the ‘South group’ which paid Rs 100 crore in kickbacks to AAP leaders in exchange for undue benefits under the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, the ED has alleged in its chargesheet.

The chargesheet, filed before a special judge at Rouse Avenue district court, has relied on the statement of Indospirits MD Sameer Mahendru, who is an accused in the alleged money-laundering case. Mahendru allegedly told ED that he was approached by members of the ‘South group,’ who expressed an interest in his company. His initial pushback against this partnership fizzled out after a promise by AAP communications in-charge Vijay Nair to provide him with a wholesale business.

‘The South group with political connections’

The partnership with Indospirits was further cemented over several phone calls and meetings with Kavitha, the ED has alleged. As per Mahendru’s statement, Nair allegedly met Mahendru and told him about a South group member, Arun Pillai, whose group had “deep pockets and political connections,” including ties with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, and was “keen on investing in Delhi business.”

Also read: ED arrests businessmen Vijay Nair, Abhishek Boinpally in the Delhi liquor policy case

Since the South group wanted stakes in his company without much investment, Mahendru resisted joining this partnership, the ED chargesheet alleges. It was only later that Arun told Mahendru that he was representing K Kavitha, who revealed her interest in his company, it is alleged. Mahendru relented to their requests after a promise from Nair that “M/s Pernod Ricard’s wholesale business would come to him”, it is alleged. The ED alleged that Kavitha spoke to Mahendru in September 2021 on Facetime, where she “congratulated Sameer for Delhi business” and was “happy that they have partnered up”.

Also read: Delhi liquor policy case: Manish Sisodia’s aide Dinesh Arora set to turn approver

In 2022, Mahendru met Kavitha at her house in Hyderabad where she told him that he was “like family to her and doing business with Arun was like doing business with Kavitha and that they will take this relationship to a larger scale in multiple states and expand majorly”, the ED has alleged in its chargesheet.

Earlier, reacting to reports of her alleged involvement in the scam, Kavitha was quoted by PTI as telling reporters: “We state that we will face any kind of inquiry. If the agencies come and ask us questions we will certainly answer. But tarnishing leaders’ images by giving selective leaks to the media, people will refute it.”

‘Sanjay Singh asked Dinesh Arora to collect funds for Delhi polls’

The ED has also stated in its chargesheet that Dinesh Arora, a businessman who was named as accused in the FIR, was asked by AAP leader Sanjay Singh to collect funds for the Delhi elections. Arora was allegedly also close to Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and was working closely with him and Nair.

Arora, the ED claims, initially met Sanjay Singh, through whom he eventually met Sisodia during a party at a restaurant. He spoke to many restaurant owners “on request of Mr Singh” and arranged cheques amounting to Rs 82 lakh (handed over to Sisodia) for collection of party funds for the upcoming assembly elections in Delhi,” the ED alleged.

Also read: Delhi liquor policy case: ED arrests top executives of two pharma companies

Arora also stated that he once raised the issue of shifting a shop from Pitampura to Okhla with Sisodia and the issue was subsequently resolved by the Excise department, the chargesheet claims. He claims to have spoken to Sisodia five-six times and met Kejriwal at his residence with Sanjay Singh, the chargesheet alleges.

‘Loss of Rs 2,873 crore to Delhi exchequer’

As a result of the cartelisation and monopoly achieved in furtherance of the above ‘criminal conspiracy’, a total loss of Rs 2,873 crore has been caused to the Delhi exchequer while accused Mahendru and his firms gained a profit of Rs 295.45 crore, the ED alleges. The Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 was designed in such a way that AAP could collect funds “illegally,” the ED alleged, adding that the loopholes were kept deliberately in this policy so that illegal activities can be done which shows the intention of policymakers.

The chargesheet also claimed that the government officials as well as politicians were given Rs 100 crore by the accused involved in the matter. It stated that the investigation carried out in the current case by the ED so far has shown that Mahendru was one of the kingpins and the primary beneficiary of the aforementioned criminal conspiracy.