14 october 2024 : On Monday, the Supreme Court granted bail to businessman Abhishek Boinpally in the Delhi excise policy case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), noting that all other accused individuals are already out on bail.
Boinpally had received interim bail on March 6 of this year, which was extended periodically since then. A bench consisting of Justices MM Sundresh and Aravind Kumar stated, “It is undisputed that all other accused in the case have been granted bail. In light of this, we are inclined to grant bail as well.”
The court allowed the trial judge to set conditions for the bail. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, representing the ED, did not oppose the bail since others involved had already been granted similar relief.
Senior advocate Vikram Chaudhary, representing Boinpally, pointed out that the order granting him interim bail had previously restricted his travel outside Delhi, allowing him only to visit his hometown, Hyderabad. He requested that this travel restriction not interfere with the trial court’s decision on bail conditions. The bench clarified that this condition applied only to his interim bail.
Boinpally’s interim bail was most recently extended in August, with his lawyers arguing that the Supreme Court’s recent decision to grant bail to former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia should apply to Boinpally’s case as the trial in the ED case has not yet commenced. Boinpally is accused of acting as a “conduit” for transferring money among the accused parties.
The 36-year-old businessman was arrested on October 9, 2022, and has cited his lengthy detention and health issues as reasons for seeking bail. He is accused of being involved in a conspiracy that benefitted private liquor traders under the 2021-22 excise policy.
Boinpally was released on bail by the trial court in a related CBI case on November 14, 2022, but was later arrested by the ED in connection with the same allegations. The ED claims that Boinpally is linked to proceeds of crime amounting to ₹105.55 crore, a claim that he has denied, arguing that it is based on uncorroborated witness statements.