A Delhi court on Wednesday sent businessman Gautam Malhotra, the son of former Shiromani Akali Dal MLA and liquor baron Deep Malhotra, to judicial custody in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise scam.
Special Judge MK Nagpal sent Malhotra to jail after he was produced before the court on expiry of his seven-day custodial interrogation.
The court passed the order on an application moved by the Enforcement Directorate which said his further custody was not required.
The ED had earlier told the court that the accused was part of a cartel formed between liquor manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers in violation of the excise policy as he, being a manufacturer owning or having different units, was also able to get a wholesale licence and two retail zone licences in the names of some other entities belonging to or being controlled by him.
The judge had noted that there were specific allegations which surfaced during the course of investigation that the accused had generated proceeds of crime to the extent of Rs 2.5 crore and handed it over to co-accused Amit Arora.
Arora further handed over the POC to another accused Dinesh Arora, who has now turned approver, for its onward transmission to AAP leaders through co-accused Vijay Nair and it was done in pursuance of the said conspiracy and out of 12 per cent profit margin fixed for the wholesalers.
The ED was represented by Special Public Prosecutor NK Matta and advocate Mohd Faizan Khan.
Malhotra, promoter of the Oasis group of Punjab, was taken into custody under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. -- PTI