New Delhi: The Delhi High Court, on Monday, June 3, has requested a response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding a plea filed by Hyderabad businessman Arun Ramchandran Pillai. Pillai, who is embroiled in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi Excise scam, sought interim bail on medical grounds.
A vacation bench headed by Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma issued a notice to the ED, directing them to review the medical reports submitted by Pillai. The court instructed the agency to furnish a response to the interim bail petition along with a verification report, scheduling the matter for further hearing on June 10.
Pillai, who has been under ED custody since March last year, has requested interim bail citing medical reasons, including severe back pain. In his petition, he mentioned recommendations from doctors at an ayurvedic clinic in Kerala, advocating a 21-day ‘Panchakarma Therapy’ followed by 21 days of bed rest.
The ED arrested Pillai on March 6, 2023, alleging his involvement as a representative of the “South Group” during discussions with other accused individuals in the formulation and execution of the 2021 excise policy. The policy was subsequently revoked in 2022 after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption.
According to the ED, Pillai is closely associated with Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, and is purportedly acting as a frontman for the South Group. Kavitha is also currently in custody in connection with the case.
