Excise policy ‘scam’: HC asks jail officials to file report on medical condition of bizman

PTI, Jun 11, 2024, 5:08 PM IST

The Delhi High Court has asked the jail superintendent concerned to file a report on the medical condition of Hyderabad businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai, who is lodged in judicial custody in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi Excise scam.
A vacation bench of the high court has also asked the jail authorities to submit a report on the treatment being provided to Pillai who has sought interim bail on medical grounds.
“In the meantime, the latest medical report with regard to the health condition of the present applicant (Pillai) and the treatment being provided to him be requisitioned from the jail superintendent concerned,” Justice Amit Sharma said.
The high court listed the matter for further hearing on June 14 and directed that a copy of the order be sent to the jail superintendent for necessary information and compliance.
The court, which had earlier issued notice and asked the Enforcement Directorate to file its reply, was informed by the agency’s counsel that the response has been filed but not placed on record yet.
The court ordered that the reply be brought on record before the next date of hearing.
The high court had earlier asked the ED to verify the medical reports placed on record by Pillai.
Pillai, who was arrested by the ED in March last year, sought interim bail for eight weeks for medical reasons including back pain.
He claimed in his petition that the doctors at an ayurvedic clinic in Kerala have opined that he needs to be admitted there for a 21-day ‘Panchakarma Therapy’ with further bed rest of 21 days.
Pillai was arrested by the ED on March 6, 2023 following allegations that he represented the “South Group” at meetings with other accused when the 2021 excise policy was being formulated and implemented.
The South Group is allegedly a cartel of liquor businessmen and politicians who were claimed to have paid Rs 100 crore in kickbacks to the ruling AAP dispensation for favours.
The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption involving its formulation and execution.
The ED has claimed that Pillai is a close aide of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, and the frontman for the South Group. Kavitha is also in custody in the case.