A local court in New Delhi granted 14 days interim bail to Aurobindo Pharma director P Sarath Chandra Reddy to enable him to attend ceremonies following the death of his grandmother.
Sarath Reddy was among the four persons who were arrested in Delhi liquor scam. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) mentioned the name of Reddy in its second prosecution complaint filed in the court a few days ago.
The Rouse Avenue district court granted bail to Sarath Reddy on a petition by his advocate requesting bail to attend the post-death rituals. Since his father was abroad, Reddy’s grandmother took care of him and, as per her last wish, Reddy had to attend the ceremonies, the petition said.
Apart from Sarath Reddy, Benoy Babu an official of liquor company Pernod Ricard, Vijay Nair of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Hyderabad businessman Abhishek Boinpally allegedly played a crucial role in the Delhi liquor scam.
The investigating agencies arrested Reddy and Benoy Babu on 10 November, while Nair and Boinpally were arrested on 13 November.
The ED complaint
In its first prosecution complaint filed in the court, the ED said Nair, on behalf of leaders from AAP, received kickbacks to the tune of ₹100 crore from a group called “South Group”, as termed in the statements of various persons questioned during the investigation.
Nair, who was accused No 5 in the FIR issued by the CBI in the case, was communication and media in-charge of AAP.
The prominent persons allegedly part of the “South Group” are Sarath Reddy, YSRCP MP Magunta Srinuvasula Reddy, his son Raghav Magunta, and BRS MLC K Kavitha.
According to the ED, the kickbacks were paid in advance to AAP leaders through Nair by the “South Group” as part of an agreement between them.
As against kickbacks that were paid, the “South Group” allegedly secured uninhibited access, undue favours and attained stakes in established wholesale businesses and multiple retail zones over and above what was allowed in the policy.
Related: Delhi liquor scam: ED attaches assets worth ₹76.54 crore, including property owned by Hyderabad-based Arun Pillai
To recover the kickbacks, the partners of the “South Group” were given 65 percent of stake in a company called Indo-Spirits in collusion with Sameer Mahendru, beneficial owner of Indo-Spirits.
This partnership formation was directed by Nair on the assurance of acquiring the wholesale business of Pernod Ricard to Indo-Spirits of Sameer Mahendru.
According to the ED, the “South Group” controlled stake in Indo-Spirits through false representation, concealment and proxies.
