Supreme Court Delays Vijay Nair’s Bail Hearing in Delhi Excise Policy Case
The Supreme Court of India has postponed the hearing on businessman Vijay Nair’s bail plea in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy. The decision was made by a bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy, Sudhanshu Dhulia, and SVN Bhatti after Nair’s counsel requested more time to add additional documents.
Vijay Nair, represented by advocate Binisa Mohanty, is challenging the Delhi High Court’s decision to deny him bail. His bail plea was also previously rejected by the trial court. Nair, who was the Media and Communication in charge of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), claims he is being unfairly targeted due to his political affiliation. He asserts that the allegations against him are false and that his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate on November 13, 2022, was illegal and motivated by external factors.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has accused Nair of receiving Rs 100 crore in kickbacks on behalf of AAP leaders from a group called South Group. Nair is also the former CEO of the entertainment and event management firm Only Much Louder. The ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) allege that irregularities were committed in modifying the excise policy, including extending undue favors to license holders, waiving or reducing the license fee, and extending the L-1 license without proper approval. The L-1 license is granted to businesses with at least five years of wholesale distribution experience in the liquor trade.
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Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes the final decisions on important legal matters.
Bail Hearing -: A bail hearing is a court meeting where a judge decides if a person can be released from jail while waiting for their trial.
Vijay Nair -: Vijay Nair is a person who used to work for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in media and communication.
Delhi Excise Policy -: The Delhi Excise Policy is a set of rules about how alcohol is sold and managed in Delhi.
Money Laundering -: Money laundering is when people try to hide where money really came from, usually because it was earned illegally.
Counsel -: Counsel means a lawyer or a group of lawyers who help someone in legal matters.
Adjournment -: Adjournment means to delay or postpone a meeting or court hearing to a later time.
AAP -: AAP stands for Aam Aadmi Party, a political party in India.
Enforcement Directorate -: The Enforcement Directorate is a government agency in India that investigates financial crimes like money laundering.
Kickbacks -: Kickbacks are illegal payments made in return for a favor or service.
Trial Court -: A trial court is where a case is first heard and decided by a judge.
Delhi High Court -: The Delhi High Court is a higher court in Delhi that can review decisions made by trial courts.