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Nair was denied bail by the trial court on February 16.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the bail plea filed by former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) communications in-charge Vijay Nair in connection with the money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy scam.
The counsel for Nair contended that he was only the media and communications in charge of AAP and was not involved in the drafting, framing, or implementing of the excise policy in any manner. He argued that he was being “victimized” for his political affiliation.
Taking note of the submissions, the bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma issued notice to the ED and listed the matter for further hearing on May 19, 2023.
Notably, on February 16, Special Judge MK Nagpal of Rouse Avenue Court, Delhi, denied bail to Aam Aadmi Party’s Vijay Nair and four others in a money laundering case related to the Delhi Excise Policy Case.
Observing that “allegations are quite serious”, the court had denied bail to Nair, Sameer Mahendru, Abhishek Boinpally, Sarath Chandra Reddy, and Benoy Babu.
The judge in the 123-page order had stated that there is enough incriminating evidence to show the entire “modus operandi” adopted by the accused persons for the commission of offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The court had noted that in the instant case, some documentary evidence in the form of and including Whatsapp chats, cell locations, records of bank transactions relating to transfer, etc. proceeds of crime, hotel meetings held between the accused at various locations, and some digital data and other records of the entities belonging to the accused persons is also on record to substantiate the contents of these statements.
On the allegations and role of Vijay Nair, the court had said, “Though he was only the Media and Communication in charge of AAP, it has been revealed during the investigation of this case that he was actually representing the AAP and GNCTD in different meetings that took place with the stakeholders in liquor business at different places. His participation in the meetings in this capacity is to be viewed in light of the facts that he was residing in the official accommodation allotted to a senior Minister of the AAP and once he is even alleged to have represented himself as an OSD in the Excise Department of GNCTD and further that none from the Government or AAP officially participated in these meetings.”
It is to be noted that on November 14, 2022, a Special Judge granted bail to two accused namely, Vijay Nair and Abhishek Boinpally in the CBI case related to the same scam. Thereafter, both were arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on the same day.
Case Title: Vijay Nair v. Directorate of Enforcement
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