In Delhi Liquor Policy Case, Boss Of Hyderabad Pharma Firm Is Arrested

The Director of a Hyderabad-based pharma company is one of the two persons arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday in a probe linked to alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy.

Sarath Reddy, the Director of Aurobindo Pharma, was arrested along with Benoy Babu of Pernod Ricard late Wednesday night under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The probe agency had previously searched his premises and had questioned him twice.

In an exchange filing, Aurobindo Pharma said it learnt that Sarath Reddy had been arrested by enforcement directorate. The company did not respond to request for details on the arrest, according to Reuters.

The Enforcement Directorate has conducted multiple raids in this case so far. In September, it arrested Sameer Mahandru, managing director of a liquor manufacturing company named Indospirit.

The central agency filed a money laundering case in August after taking note of a complaint filed by the CBI that had named Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as an accused apart from senior bureaucrats of the Delhi government and others.

Earlier this month, the agency searched the premises of an aide of Manish Sisodia and later questioned him at its office in Delhi.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's liquor policy came under scrutiny after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged violations. The Lieutenant Governor also suspended 11 excise officials.

The CBI investigation into the liquor policy case started months before the Gujarat assembly elections, which will be held next month.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has alleged that the centre, with the Lieutenant Governor working as a proxy, wants to harm AAP's campaign in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.