Ramachandra Pillai Arrested In Delhi Liquor Scam Case

In the latest development in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday announced the arrest of Arun Ramachandra Pillai in New Delhi.

Pillai was recently questioned by ED officials for two days. He may have been arrested in this connection.

Pillai was produced before Rouse Avenue District courts later in the day. The ED is likely to seek his custody for two weeks.

With this, the number of people arrested in the liquor scam has reached 11.

According to the ED, Pillai is an accused in the case and had allegedly worked as a frontman for Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter K Kavitha in a company.

Pillai was representing the South Group, which allegedly gave kickbacks of Rs 100 crore to AAP leaders, money that was allegedly used in the Goa elections.

The South Group allegedly comprised Abhishek Boinpally, Arun Pillai and Buchi Babu. Boinpalli allegedly facilitated the transfer of the Rs 100 crore in connivance and conspiracy with Vijay Nair (Aam Aadmi Party's communication in-charge) and his associate Dinesh Arora.

A land parcel worth Rs 2.25 crore in Vattinagulapalle, Hyderabad, owned by Pillai was recently attached by the ED.

On March 2, liquor businessman Amandeep Dhal, the Director of Brindco Sales Pvt Ltd, was arrested by the ED. His questioning led to the arrest of Pillai, said sources.

Dhal allegedly played a major role in the kickbacks paid by the South Group. He had allegedly got a draft copy of the liquor policy before it was released, and shared it with Binoy Babu. The ED also alleged that he had made the arrangements for the meeting between the South Group and Vijay Nair.

The ED has claimed in the supplementary charge sheet that Vijay Nair, on behalf of the leaders of the AAP, received kickbacks to the tune of Rs 100 crore from the South Group, whose prominent faces are Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, Raghav Magunta, Sarath Reddy and MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha.