The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked two Enforcement Directorate officials, chief executive officer (CEO) of Claridges Hotels & Resorts, a chartered accountant and three others for allegedly receiving ₹5 crore on the pretext of helping Amandeep Singh Dhall, an accused in the Delhi excise policy case.
In the First Information Report (FIR), the accused have been identified as ED Assistant Director Pawan Khatri and clerk Nitesh Kohar; Air India assistant general manager Deepak Sangwan; Mr. Dhall and his father Birender Pal Singh; chartered accountant Praveen Vats; Vikram Adtiya Singh, chief executive officer of Claridges Hotels & Resorts, and other unknown persons.
The case is based on a complaint from Sonia Narang, Special Director of the ED, alleging prima facie commission of crimes under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
As alleged, during money laundering probe in the excise policy case, the agency found that some persons were taking money in the name of senior ED officials. Accordingly, searches were conducted on July 4 and 5 on the premises of Mr. Vats, Mr. Dhall and his father; Mr. Khatri, Mr. Kohar and Mr. Vikram Aditya.
Statements recorded
The ED also recorded that the statements of various persons which prima facie revealed that Mr. Dhall, who was arrested by both the ED and the CBI in the excise policy case, and his father had given ₹5 crore to Mr. Vats for getting relief in the ED case.
Mr. Vikram Adtiya allegedly told the ED that Mr. Dhall had approached him, after which he asked Mr. Vats to help the excise policy case accused. Mr. Vats sought ₹3 crore and told Mr. Vikram Aditya that after deducting the expenses, they would equally divide the remaining amount among themselves.
The sum was paid by Mr. Dhall to Mr. Vats. Thereafter, in March 2023, Mr. Dhall’s father informed Mr. Vikram Adtiya that a total of ₹5 crore was paid to Mr. Vats.
In his statement, the chartered accountant purportedly said that Mr. Sangwan had introduced him to the ED Assistant Director in December 2022 and that on Mr. Sangwan’s assurance, he had taken ₹3 crore from Mr. Dhall in six tranches in December 2022-January 2023. Then, Mr. Sangwan proposed that Mr. Dhall could be taken out of the list of the accused persons in the excise policy case for an additional ₹2 crore, which was also paid in four tranches.
However, Mr. Dhall was arrested by the ED on March 1, 2023. When Mr. Vats enquired from Mr. Sangwan, the latter purportedly said that instructions for the arrest had come from higher authorities and he did not have any influence over them. Mr. Sangwan, in his statement to the ED, alleged that in June he came to know that Mr. Vats had “extorted” a huge amount from Mr. Dhall’s father. He then held meetings with him for getting the money returned.
During some meetings, established through CCTV footages, the ED Assistant Director and his junior colleague were also present. On June 29, ₹1 crore was allegedly returned to Mr. Dhall’s father.
In their statements to the ED, Mr. Khatri and his colleague denied any role. However, based on the CCTV recordings and the evidence found during searches, the agency suspects their involvement along with that of others. During searches, the ED had seized over ₹2.19 crore in cash from the residence of Mr. Vats, besides 99 pages of the supplementary charge sheet filed in the excise policy case from Mr. Sangwan’s premises, and related documents from Mr. Khatri’s residence, as alleged.
The agency found that Mr. Vats had allegedly formatted his phone, while Mr. Sangwan did not produce his old phone.
