Arun Ramchandra Pillai sent to judicial detention until 3 April

The Delhi Court on Monday sent Hydrabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai to judicial custody till April 3 in connection with its ongoing probe in the Delhi Excise Policy 2021–22 money laundering case.
Pillai was arrested on March 6, following his day-long questioning by Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in the case. The agency has so far arrested 11 people in the case.
After Pillai’s arrest, former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was also arrested by the ED in the same case. Sisodia is presently on ED remand.
ED last year filed its first chargesheet before the Delhi Court in the excise policy money laundering case, naming liquor businessman Sameer Mahandru as one of the accused.
The agency said it has so far undertaken nearly 200 search operations in this case after filing an FIR after taking cognisance of a CBI case that was registered on the recommendation of the Delhi Lieutenant Governor.
The CBI inquiry was recommended based on the findings of the Delhi chief secretary’s report filed in July, which showed prima facie violations of the GNCTD Act 1991, the Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR) of 1993, the Delhi Excise Act 2009, and the Delhi Excise Rules 2010.
In October last year, the ED raided nearly three dozen locations in Delhi and Punjab following the arrest of Sameer Mahendru, Managing Director of Delhi’s Jor Bagh-based liquor distributor Indospirit Group, in the case and later arrested him.