The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday (February 8) detained Punjab-based businessman Gautam Malhotra in the money laundering investigation connected to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy, officials said.

Gautam  Malhotra, linked to the Oasis group of Punjab, has been taken into custody under the criminal sections of the PMLA, Prevention of Money Laundering Act.  He will be reportedly produced before a Delhi court where the Enforcement Directorate will seek his custody. He has reportedly linked to liquor business in Punjab and other regions, officials said.

The excise policy 2021-22 was scrapped in August 2022and the Delhi Luitunant Governor later asked the Central BurBureau Investigation to probe the alleged irregularities. The ED's money laundering stems from the CBI FIR. 

Notably, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and other excise officials of the government were named as accused in the CBI and the ED complaints.

The Enforcement Directorate, till now, has filed two charge sheets or prosecution complaints in this case and has arrested a total of seven people, including Mr. Malhotra.

The CBI booked a Hyderabad-based chartered accountant, understood to be the auditor of BRS MLC K. Kavitha, in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, officials said.

Meanwhile, The CBI has arrested a former chartered accountant of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha, the daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy.

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