In Delhi excise scam case, on Friday, a city court declined to prolong the interim bail previously granted to liquor businessman Sameer Mahendru, who was arrested in connection with a money laundering case associated with the purported Delhi excise policy scam. The court emphasized that it couldn’t overlook the seriousness of the charges against him, despite his status as an accused. Special Judge M K Nagpal had initially granted interim bail to Mahendru, the managing director of liquor distributor Indospirit, citing his wife’s surgery.
The Delhi excise scam, a complex case entangling various stakeholders within the governmental and business sectors, has been under intense scrutiny. The refusal to extend interim bail reflects the court’s commitment to ensuring a thorough and uncompromising investigation into all facets of the scam. This decision is particularly noteworthy as it pertains to the legal proceedings and the enforcement of accountability in high-profile corruption cases.
“It cannot be ignored that the applicant is an accused in a serious case of money laundering,” the judge said.
The court mentioned that during his 16-month custody, Sameer Mahendru had been out on interim bail for approximately five months due to various reasons.
“Simply because some post-surgery complications have arisen, which can certainly be managed through medication, the interim bail of the applicant cannot be extended again and again and for the purpose of taking care of his wife only,”
the judge said.
He added,
“Further, the interim bail of the applicant has already been extended at different times and for different durations for or in connection with the above surgery and he has already availed interim bail for a period of around 43 days for the said purpose and it was despite the fact that this court had made it clear in the very first order dated January 5, 2024, that no request for extension of interim bail of the applicant shall be entertained by the court.”
The judge said simply because Mahendru’s wife has to undergo some further medication or tests or may require re-hospitalization in the future, he cannot be kept on interim bail for an indefinite period as the said needs and requirements can well be taken care of by his parents or their other relatives.
Further, the court also has to keep in mind that the interim bail of an accused is not extended again and again so as to be converted into regular bail, the judge said.
“Again, on considering the alleged grounds for extension of interim bail being sought by the applicant and the documents produced in support thereof, this court also gets a feeling that the above treatment and tests of his wife have unnecessarily been delayed and stretched so as to seek further extension of interim bail by the applicant and hence, this court is of the considered view that no further extension of interim bail to him is warranted in light of the above facts and record,”
the judge said.
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Regarding the accused’s own medical condition and proposed knee surgery, the judge said the court will have to take a call separately to see if there was any actual requirement for the grant of interim bail to him.
“Hence, keeping in view the entirety of facts and circumstances, no ground is made out for further extension of interim bail of the applicant/accused Sameer Mahandru and therefore, the present application is dismissed and the accused is being directed to surrender in the concerned jail by 5 PM tomorrow,”
the judge said.
The judge had granted interim bail to Sameer Mahendru in the case related to alleged corruption and irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.
According to the prosecution, Mahendru was one of the major beneficiaries of the alleged violations in the excise policy as he was not only running an alcoholic beverages manufacturing unit but was also given a wholesale license and some retail licenses in the name of his relatives.
Because of the alleged irregularities and violations, Sameer Mahendru earned a profit of around Rs 50 crore, the prosecution claimed.
