PNS|Hyderabad
Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials produced Arun Ramchandra Pillai before the Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday The ED presented its arguments in the Delhi Liquor Scam case and appealed to the court to give custody of Arun Ramachandra Pillai for seven days.
The court allowed the ED to keep Ramachandra Pillai in custody till March 13.
The ED informed the court that Pillai is not cooperating with the ED. The ED argued that Pillai accepted that he is a representative of BRS MLC Kavitha and appealed to the court for permission to keep him in custody for seven days.
The ED argued that Pillai is not cooperating with the investigation and that custody is needed to uncover the money trail as Pillai transferred Rs 25 lakh.
The court asked ED officials to explain why there was a delay in arresting Pillai. The court also asked ED officials why they are questioning Pillai again and again when it had documented evidence regarding transactions and why not arrest him directly.
Arguing on behalf of Pillai, his lawyer objected to the ED stating that his client is not cooperating as it had probed him for 29 days. The lawyer said that Pillai gave answers to all questions of the ED. The ED officials also recorded the questioning that took place for 29 days, the lawyer said and submitted to the court that Pillai’s mother is not well and that medicines for his thyroid condition and muscle pain were being given to him during custody.
While granting seven days of ED custody for Ramachandra Pillai after agreeing with the arguments of ED, the Rouse Avenue Court allowed Pillai to talk to his mother. The court also gave permission to Pillai’s wife and his brother-in-law to meet him.
Meanwhile, the ED alleged in its 17-page remand report that Pillai tried in all ways to help Kavitha. The ED also mentioned in its report that Pillai ran the entire South Group. The ED stated in its report that Kavitha is a member of the South Group.
The ED explained that Aurobindo Pharma promoter Sharath Chandra Reddy, YSRCP MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, and Magunta Raghava Reddy were also in the South Group. The ED also stated that Arun Ramachandra Pillai, Abhishek Boinpally and Gorantla Buchibabu were representatives of the South Group.
In fact, the ED arrested Arun Ramachandra Pillai, who is from Hyderabad, on Monday in connection with the Delhi liquor scam. It may be recalled that ED questioned Pillai for two days recently on irregularities in the Delhi liquor scam. The ED also seized Arun Ramachandra Pillai’s land worth Rs 2.2 crore in Vattinagulapally.
It may also be recalled that ED revealed that Pillai has a share in Indo Spirit and that he attended meetings to prepare the liquor policy. Pillai played a pivotal role in the Delhi liquor scam along with Sameer Mahendru.
The ED also informed that they also found the WhatsApp chat between Pillai and Buchibabu. The ED said that Pillai played the main role in the distribution of kickbacks paid by the South Group. The ED said that there is a need to probe Pillai and Buchibabu simultaneously.
