Delhi court reserves order on Dinesh Arora's plea to "turn approver" in Excise policy case

New Delhi: The Rouse Avenue Court on Monday reserved order on a plea moved by businessman Dinesh Arora, an alleged aide of Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia, seeking to turn approver in the alleged excise policy case. The proceedings in this regard were conducted in-camera, Dinesh Arora's lawyer confirmed.
The Special Judge MK Nagpal, after noting down the submissions made by both sides, reserved the order for November 16, 2022. According to the lawyer who appeared for the matter, the Court raised several queries to the CBI in regard to the progress of the ongoing investigation and how was Dinesh Arora's disclosure helping the agency in the investigation. Businessman Dinesh Arora is an accused in the Delhi excise policy case, who last week submitted that he was ready to make true disclosure voluntarily about the case and wanted to be an approver in the case.
He said, "I am ready to make a voluntary and true disclosure with respect to my role in the commission of the alleged offences. I have also cooperated in the investigation of the case by CBI and have made true statements before the Investigation officer. I have also made a confessional statement before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) regarding facts and events pertaining to the commission of alleged offences".
Arora further said, "the application to turn approver in the case has been filed with the request of the grant of pardon to me as I am ready to voluntarily make a true and full disclosure of all the facts pertaining to this case as the same are within my knowledge."
"I request to be granted pardon in this case. I have agreed without any pressure, undue influence or coaxing by CBI or any other. I am also ready to abide by all the terms and conditions which the court may impose upon me," he added.
No pressure, no threats by CBI or anyone else to do this, in response to Court's question, he said.
The Court was hearing a plea moved under section 306 of the Crpc to make businessman Dinesh Arora, an accused, an approver/witness in the Delhi excise policy case.
A few days ago, the same court granted anticipatory bail to Dinesh Arora after CBI did not oppose his plea for the same in this case.
The Court then noted that the CBI in its reply against the anticipatory bail plea, had stated that the applicant has supported the investigation and disclosed certain facts which were vital for the investigation; hence, the CBI has no objection if the anticipatory bail is granted to the applicant by this court.
The Court further noted: though, from the contents of the reply filed by CBI, no immediate apprehensions about the arrest of the applicant, in this case, appear to be made out, but still, keeping in view the fact that the applicant is one of the accused who have been named in the FIR and further keeping in view the fact that he is stated to have made some statements before the Investigation Officer (IO) which are self-inculpatory in nature.
Arora's anticipatory bail application was moved when Vijay Nair and Sameer Mahendru were arrested by the CBI and ED respectively.
Later, the CBI arrested Hyderabad-based businessman Abhishek Boinpally in an ongoing investigation of a case related to alleged irregularities in framing and implementation of the excise policy of GNCTD of Delhi.
On September 27, CBI arrested businessman Vijay Nair, former CEO of event management company Only Much Louder, during an investigation concerning the Delhi Excise Policy scam.
In August, CBI registered a case in the Excise Policy scam and issued a Lookout Circular (LOC) against eight private persons named as accused in the Excise Policy case.
Among the accused, public servants are Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, the then Excise Commissioner Arva Gopi Krishna, Deputy Commissioner Anand Tiwari and Assistant Commissioner Pankaj Bhatnagar.
The others are Manoj Rai, a former employee of Pernod Ricard; Amandeep Dhal, director of Brindco Sales; Sameer Mahendru, managing director of Indospirit Group; Buddy Retail and its director Amit Arora, Dinesh Arora, Mahadev Liquors, its authorised signatory Sunny Marwah and Arjun Pandey. (ANI)