Page 5 - Excise Duty

Delhi HC seeks ED's stand on bail plea by Vijay Nair in Excise policy case

The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought the stand of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a plea by businessman and Aam Aadmi Party's communication in-charge Vijay Nair seeking default bail in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma issued notice on the bail application and granted time to the investigation agency to file its reply. Nair, who was arrested on November 13, 2022, was refused default bail in the case by the trial court on July 29. The trial court had dismissed the bail plea, saying it was not the competent or an appropriate forum to consider the grounds of default bail of the accused and the appropriate course would be to approach the same judge or bench of the high court, which had earlier dismissed his bail plea, with a request for consideration of the point. Senior advocate Rebecca John, appearing for Nair, contended before the high court that the ED filed piecemeal charge sheets in the matter and the accused was

Corporation tax mop-up slips 14%; total tax collection in Q1 rises 3.38%

Excise duty mop-up falls 15%

Delhi HC grants interim bail to YSR Congress MP's son on medical grounds

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted interim bail on medical grounds to Raghav Magunta, the son of YSR Congress Party MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam. While granting the relief, Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma asked Magunta to appear before ED officials at the agency's Chennai or Delhi office, whenever called. The high court said he shall confine himself to Chennai and shall report to ED officials every Tuesday and Friday at 4 pm. "He shall not leave India without permission of the trial court. He shall surrender passport before the trial court," the high court said. It clarified that Magunta's bail on medical grounds will not be treated as precedent for other cases. According to the CBI and the ED, which are probing the cases against senior AAP leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, Magunta and others, irregularities were allegedly committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours were .

IFB Agro's fish feed plant in 2024, liquor biz face trouble on duty hike

IFB Agro Industries on Monday said its alcohol business is facing challenges due to a sharp hike in liquor prices due to a 30 per cent excise rise by the West Bengal government, while the company's new fish feed manufacturing facility in Odisha will be operational from March 2024. IFB Agro management informed investors in a report that the company's board decided to set up the fish feed plant in Odisha despite neighbouring West Bengal being its major market, due to certain issues faced by it and for a better business environment. The company did not divulge more details on the subject. "The liquor business witnessed a sharp decline in volume in the industry during the year as there has been a sharp increase in prices by 30 per cent (MRP). This abnormal increase in the prices of India Made Foreign Liquor was made effective from January 2023 by the West Bengal Excise Department, which led to a sharp decrease in demand, as the same has been made unaffordable for the people at the bott

ED arrests CBI's approver Dinesh Arora in excise policy laundering case

In a major arrest in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case, the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday night took into its custody businessman Dinesh Arora, an accused who has been declared prosecution witness in the same case being probed by CBI. Arora was arrested under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after a long session of questioning. The agency is expected to produce him before a local court on Friday. Dinesh Arora has been questioned by the ED earlier too. But this time, he was evasive in his replies and was not cooperating with the agency following which he was arrested, sources said. The businessman was allegedly a close associate of Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia who is also an accused in the excise policy case and has been arrested by the ED as well as the CBI. The ED, in a supplementary charge sheet, has accused Sisodia of receiving bribes from Amit Arora, another businessm

Excise policy scam: HC rejects Sisodia's bail plea in money laundering case

The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the bail plea of AAP leader Manish Sisodia, who was arrested for his alleged role in the money laundering case relating to alleged irregularities in the city government's excise policy. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma refused to grant relief to Sisodia, saying he is not entitled to bail at this stage. Besides Sisodia, the high court also dismissed the bail pleas of businessmen Abhishek Boinpally, Benoy Babu and Vijay Nair, who are co-accused in the money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arising from the alleged scam. Sisodia, the former Delhi deputy chief minister and excise minister, was first arrested by the CBI on February 26 for his alleged role in the scam and has been in custody since then. The high court has already denied him bail in the CBI case on May 30. He was arrested on March 9 in the case lodged by the ED and is currently in judicial custody. The Delhi government implemented the policy on November 17, 2

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Delhi govt collects Rs 1,700 cr in excise duty, VAT in April-June quarter

The Delhi government's Excise department has earned nearly Rs 1,700 crore in excise duty and value added tax in the first quarter of 2023-24, official data showed. In the 2022-23 fiscal, the department had raked in Rs 6,821 crore by selling over 62 crore bottles of liquor. The amount included Rs 5,548.48 crore as excise duty and Rs 1,272.52 crore as value added tax. The Excise department expects the revenues to increase in the next few months with the opening of more liquor shops. "Beer is preferred during the summer months by customers. It has a lower excise duty, which is why the revenue collection in the first half is always relatively lower as compared to the second half of the financial year when whisky sells more," said an official. The city government's Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation and Delhi Consumers' Cooperative Wholesale Stores operate 574

Excise policy case: Delhi HC seeks report from LNJP on Sisodia's wife

The Delhi High Court on Saturday sought a report from the LNJP hospital on the health condition of AAP leader Manish Sisodia's ailing wife as it reserved its order on his interim bail plea for six weeks in a money laundering case arising from the alleged excise policy scam. Senior advocate Mohit Mathur, appearing for Sisodia, told Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma that pursuant to the court's directions passed on Friday, the former Delhi deputy chief minister was taken in custody to meet his wife earlier in the day but the latter's health condition deteriorated and was taken to be LNJP hospital before he could reach home. Mathur thus urged the court to release Sisodia, his sick wife's sole caretaker, on a temporary basis. "Arguments heard. Order reserved. Let a report be called from LNJP and be filed by today evening," said Justice Sharma after a hearing held on a court holiday. On Friday, the judge had directed the Tihar Jail Superintendent to take Sisodia to his residence where he was

Delhi Excise scam: Manish Sisodia produced before CBI court via video

Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was on Friday produced before a CBI court here via video conferencing in connection with the Excise Policy scam case

Aurobindo Pharma's P Sarath Reddy becomes approver in Delhi liquor case

ED said that Reddy will voluntarily disclose all the irregularities in making as well as implementing the liquor policy in Delhi

Why was excise policy withdrawn if it was good? Delhi HC asks Sisodia

The Delhi High Court Thursday asked former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, arrested in cases related to alleged irregularities in the city government's excise policy, to explain why he chose to withdraw the policy when it was claimed to be "so good". Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, while hearing the bail application of co-accused Vijay Nair in a money laundering case arising from the alleged scam, asked the counsel for the AAP leader to "get a definite reply" to his query. Sisodia also held the excise portfolio besides many others as the deputy chief minister. "If policy is so good, why did you withdraw it? Get a definitive reply for this," said the judge, who was informed that Sisodia, currently lodged in Tihar jail, has once again filed applications for his interim release. The counsel for Sisodia submitted the policy was rolled back after the Delhi Lieutenant Governor did not let liquor vends to open in "non-conforming" zones, leading to losses. He claimed vends were allowed

Court allows P Sarath Chandra Reddy to turn approver in excise policy scam

A Delhi court on Thursday allowed Hyderabad businessman P Sarath Chandra Reddy, accused in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam, to turn approver. Special Judge MK Nagpal granted pardon to Reddy on an application moved by him. In his application, Reddy said, I am ready to make true disclosure voluntarily about the case and want to be an approver in the case." Reddy was recently granted bail by the Delhi High Court on medical grounds. According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Reddy is the head of Hederabad-based Aurobindo Pharma company and was also engaged in liquor business. The ED had earlier told the court it was amply evident that Reddy had actively planned and conspired with various business owners and politicians involved in the alleged scam, and indulged in unfair market practices to gain undue advantage from the Delhi Excise Policy. Reddy was alleged to have led a nexus controlling a huge market share by way of cartelization in clear ...

Delhi excise scam case: Accused Sharath Reddy turns second approver

A Delhi court on Thursday allowed Sharath Chandra Reddy of Aurbindo Group, an accused in the Delhi excise policy scam case, to turn an approver in case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED)

State Taxes, Excise Department plans to enhance audit enforcement using AI

The State Taxes and Excise Department is all set to introduce modern techniques of audit enforcement, including the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), to enhance revenue, officials said on Monday. The cabinet on May 17 gave sanction to the Revenue Enhancement and Capacity Augmentation project which will have special tools for data preparation to take prompt action against the defaulters thereby increasing the revenue of the State. By employing cutting-edge tools and techniques and hiring experts, the department intends to address tax evasion, ultimately bolstering the State's coffers. The implementation of this project will provide real-time data on GST defaulters, ensuring better oversight and informed decision-making process, a statement issued here said. The project aims to overcome the obstacle of limited manpower for prompt analyzing taxpayer data to identify tax losses by leveraging AI technology, enabling fast identification of revenue leakages and providing precise ...

Excise case: CBI arrests media executive over 'hawala' linked AAP campaign

The CBI has arrested the commercial head and production controller of India Ahead News in connection with a probe into the alleged Delhi excise scam, officials said Monday. Arvind Kumar Singh, the news channel's commercial head and production controller, was arrested for the alleged transfer of Rs 17 crore to a company, Chariot Media, handling the Aam Admi Party's (AAP) publicity campaign during the Goa elections through hawala channels, they said. During the probe, the CBI found WhatsApp chats and records of hawala operators, which showed that Singh was allegedly instrumental in the hawala transfers of Rs 17 crore between June 2021 and January 2022 to Chariot Media which was handling the outdoor advertisement campaign for the AAP during the Goa elections, they said. The Goa Assembly polls were held on February 14, 2022. The Owner of Chariot Media, Rajesh Joshi, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on February 8 and was given bail by special court in Delhi on May 6. The cou

Many states reduce excise duty on mild beer, make retailing easier

Beer to be allowed in certain offices in Haryana, other states allow its sale in stores and malls

Delhi excise case: HC grants bail to Reddy, says sick have treatment rights

Asserting that the sick or infirm have the right to adequate and effective treatment, the Delhi High Court granted bail to businessman P Sarath Chandra Reddy on medical grounds in a money laundering case related to the Delhi government's alleged excise scam. Although "good basic treatment" can be given to the accused in jail, the court cannot expect specialised treatment and monitoring which is required in the present case, Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma said on Monday. The judge said Reddy was in a "bad state" and qualified as "sick/infirm" in order to be released on bail in the money laundering case and there was no material on record to show that he was a flight risk. The court clarified that the order was passed in view of the accused's medical condition without going into the merits of the case and asked him not to travel without permission or tamper with evidence. Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, representing the Enforcement Directorate, said the law on admitting an accuse

Delhi court extends Manish Sisodia's judicial custody till May 23

A Delhi court on Monday extended till May 23 the judicial custody of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam. Special Judge M K Nagpal extended the custody of the AAP leader after he was produced before the court on expiry of his judicial custody granted earlier. The court noted the submission of the Enforcement Directorate's Special Public Prosecutor N K Matta, who submitted that the agency has filed a supplementary charge sheet against the accused, which is scheduled for consideration on May 10. The court had earlier dismissed Sisodia's bail plea, saying "the case of economic offences has serious repercussions upon the general public and society at large as the evidence collected during investigation speaks volumes of his involvement in the commission of the said offence". The ED on March 9 arrested Sisodia in the liquor policy case. Sisodia was arrested by the CBI earlier in its ongoing investigation of a case ..

Excise policy manipulated to favour cartelisation of liquor trade: CBI

The CBI Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 was manipulated to favour cartelisation and monopolisation in liquor trade in the national capital and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and businessman Vijay Nair were the main conspirators. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) made the contention while opposing the bail plea of Sisodia who sought parity for him with other accused who have got the relief and claimed that the senior AAP leader was not in a position to influence the witnesses in the case or tamper with evidence. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma asked Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju, representing the CBI, to explain to him the whole scam for his understanding. ASG Raju said the accused wanted to make money but at the same time they wanted to show that they were transparent which they were not. It was a fraud, a scam whereby money was to be made. But they wanted to show they are transparent. Manufacturer