Today, On 13th July, The Supreme Court granted an extension of interim bail to a businessman accused in the Delhi Excise policy scam case. This extension allows the individual temporary relief as the investigation continues.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended the interim bail granted to Hyderabad-based businessman Abhishek Boinpally, who implicated in a money laundering case connected to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
The decision made by a bench comprising Justices M M Sundresh and Aravind Kumar, who decided to adjourn the matter for further hearing on October 14 due to the unavailability of Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju.
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During the proceedings, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Boinpally, argued for his client’s continued bail, noting that Boinpally had been in custody since his arrest in October 2022. Sibal also referenced the case of AAP leader Manish Sisodia, which is related to the same excise policy scam, to support the bail plea.
Advocate Zoheb Hossain, appearing on behalf of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), informed the court that Boinpally had been out on interim bail since March 6, granted due to the health condition of his wife, who is reportedly suffering from various serious ailments. Hossain requested that the court hear the matter in the presence of ASG Raju, highlighting the importance of his participation in the case.
Given the absence of ASG Raju, the Supreme Court decided to extend Boinpally’s interim bail and postponed further discussions until the next scheduled hearing on October 14.
On March 20, the Supreme Court observed that businessman Abhishek Boinpally had been in custody for 18 months and ordered his release on interim bail for five weeks. Since then, the apex court repeatedly extended Boinpally’s interim bail.
When granting the interim bail, the Supreme Court required Boinpally to surrender his passport and restricted his movements, allowing him to leave the National Capital Region (NCR) only for visits to Hyderabad. Boinpally challenged a July 3, 2023, order by the Delhi High Court, which dismissed his petition challenging the legality of his 2022 arrest.
Boinpally’s legal argument before the high court based on the alleged non-compliance with Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which outlines the arrest procedure. Section 19 of the PMLA authorizes ED officials to arrest individuals if there is material evidence providing reasonable grounds to suspect that the person has committed an offense under the law.
The money laundering case linked to the alleged irregularities in the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which implemented on November 17, 2021, but later scrapped in September 2022 amid corruption allegations. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have alleged that the policy altered to benefit license holders improperly.
Boinpally accused of participating in secret meetings and conspiring to launder money along with another accused, Sameer Mahendru, a liquor businessman. The case originated from a CBI FIR filed after Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena called for an investigation into the alleged irregularities in the excise policy’s implementation.