Delhi Excise Scam Case: Defendant Sharath Reddy Becomes Second Approvers

A Delhi court on Thursday allowed Sharath Chandra Reddy of Aurbindo Group, a defendant in the Delhi excise policy scam case, to become an approver in the case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Reddy was recently charged by the investigative agency in the case. He is the second person to become an approver. Last November, the liquor businessman and defendant in the case, Dinesh Arora, became an approver.

This may lead to further problems for former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is facing money laundering charges by the Department of Education.

Reddy, through his attorney, had filed a plea with the Rouse Avenue Courthouse asking the court to allow him to be an approver. The court allowed his motion and also pardoned him in the matter.

The ED had claimed in the supplemental charge sheet that Vijay Nair, businessman and AAP communications officer, on behalf of AAP leadership, received bribes to the tune of Rs 100 crore from South Group, whose personalities are Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy , Raghav Magunta, Sarath Reddy and K. Kavitha, the daughter of the Chief Minister of Telangana, K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Before Reddy, liquor businessman Dinesh Arora had become the go-ahead of the affair.

The ED has mentioned that Dinesh Arora gave Rs 82 lakh to Sisodia as a party fundraiser for the Assembly elections.

The ED’s case is based on the FIR registered by the CBI. The ED has filed a main charge sheet and four supplemental charge sheets in the matter.

Sarath Chandra Reddy was arrested by the Emergency Department in November of last year.

–IANOS

atk/dpb