Delhi excise policy case: SC grants bail to Amandeep Singh Dhall

New Delhi, Oct 25 : The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Brindco Sales Private Ltd Director Amandeep Singh Dhall in a corruption case linked to the Delhi excise policy "scam".

Asking the accused to cooperate in the trial, a bench headed by Justice Surya Kant said that it has not gone into the merits of the matter.

Dhall will be released on bail on conditions fixed by the trial court, as per the Supreme Court's order.

Last week, the Bench, also comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file its reply to Dhall's bail plea with an advance copy to the counsel for the petitioner.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the petitioner, had contended that Dhall had secured bail in the money laundering case but remained behind bars in the corruption case.

In August last year, an FIR was lodged against Dhall and his father for allegedly giving Rs 5 crore to a chartered accountant to arrange help in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in respect of the money laundering probe linked to the excise policy scam.

The Delhi High Court, in June this year, had dismissed Dhall’s plea for regular bail in the corruption case registered by the CBI. It had noted Dhall's alleged role in the conspiracy and his involvement in issuing additional credit notes worth Rs 4.97 crore, as corroborated by witness statements and the approver, Dinesh Arora.

It also pointed out Dhall's alleged criminal conspiracy with co-accused Vijay Nair, highlighting his role in facilitating and arranging meetings with members of the South Group.

Further, it said that Dhall was also prima facie involved in the "recoupment of bribes/kickbacks" by issuing additional credit notes through Brindco Sales, out of the 12 per cent wholesale profit margin of his company since "in pursuance of the conspiracy, 6 per cent of the profit margin was agreed to be paid towards recoupment of the kickback or bribe amount".

Last month, the Delhi High Court had allowed the regular bail pleas of Dhall and businessman Amit Arora in the money laundering case lodged by the ED. Arora, Director of Gurugram-based Buddy Retail Pvt Ltd, was earlier granted interim bail by the Delhi High Court on account of his "precarious medical condition".