Tag: policy

National Education Policy inspired by Gurudev’s philosophy: Amit Shah

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Kolkata: The National Education Policy (NEP) introduced by the Narendra Modi-led Union government was inspired by the thoughts and philosophy of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday.
“Our Prime Minister was inspired by the life of Gurudev while introducing the National Education Policy. In the policy, emphasis had been laid on imparting education in mother tongue,” Shah said while addressing a cultural programme to mark the birth anniversary of Tagore, here on Tuesday.
The Home Minister’s observation came in the backdrop of the constant opposition by the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government to the implementation of the National Education Policy.

“The educationists should now understand that the spirit of the National Education Policy was inspired by the thoughts and philosophy of Gurudev, who always used to say the aim of the country’s education system should not be confined to just making propaganda about foreign universities and overseas education systems,” Shah said.
Referring to the Visva Bharati University at Santiniketan that was founded by Tagore, Shah said: “I have been to Santiniketan twice. But I have studied a lot about it. The education experiments at Santiniketan can show the entire world a new way. The Indian education system can set an example for the entire world.”
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#National #Education #Policy #inspired #Gurudevs #philosophy #Amit #Shah

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 9, 2023
Excise policy case: Delhi court grants bail to 2 accused citing ‘insufficient evidence’

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New Delhi: A Delhi court has granted bail to two accused persons in a money laundering case related to alleged excise scam, saying the evidence was not sufficient for the case against them to be considered prima facie “genuine”.
Special Judge M K Nagpal granted the relief to Rajesh Joshi and Gautam Malhotra on a personal bond of Rs two lakh each and one surety of like amount.
The same judge had dismissed AAP leader Manish Sisodia’s bail plea in the case on April 28 and in a related corruption case, being probed by the CBI, on March 31.

In connection with the bail plea by Joshi, the court said it was of the prima facie view that the evidence was not sufficient to make it believe that the case against him was genuine or that he was going to be held guilty of the offence of money laundering.
On Gautam Malhotra, the court said that the case of the prosecution as based on oral and documentary evidence “cannot be prima facie considered to be a genuine case”.
The judge further said in the order passed on May 6 that the mere apprehension that the accused may resort to commission of an offence again will not be sufficient to oppose bail.
He observed that Joshi was not in the liquor business and admittedly, he was also not a participant in any of the meetings which allegedly took place among the other co- accused or conspirators of the criminal conspiracy in connection with the formulation of the now-scrapped excise policy or its implementation.
Joshi is also not alleged to be a member of the ‘South lobby’ or the ‘liquor lobby’ of any region and hence, admittedly, he is not among the persons who are alleged to have paid the kickbacks to co- accused Sisodia or his other associates, and he is also not a recipient of the kickbacks or bribes, he noted.

On the ED’s claim that Joshi was involved in the transfer of advance kickback amount of around Rs 20 -30 crore that was allegedly used in the AAP election campaign for the 2022 Goa assembly polls, the court said there was nothing on record at this stage to link these payments.
It noted Joshi was arrested on February 8 and even prior to that, he was stated to have joined the investigation of this case, as well as that of the connected case being probed by the CBI.
Regarding Malhotra, it noted the ED had claimed that he had paid Rs 2.5 crore as bribe or kickbacks for the ‘South liquor lobby’ and this fact was specifically stated by co-accused Amit Arora.
However, it pointed out that approver Dinesh Arora expressed total ignorance about this transaction. “The statements on this aspect made by the approver cannot be sidelined or ignored at this stage as he is a star witness,” the judge said.
The court further dismissed the ED’s contention that Malhotra formed a cartel by participation in the liquor business of Delhi at all the three levels of manufacturing, wholesale and retail, and thus, he became a member of the super cartel and the criminal conspiracy with the other co- accused.
“Though the above cartel might have been formed in violation of provisions of the excise policy… it appears to be a pure business cartel formed to push the sale of liquor brands of the manufacturing unit(s) of the applicant,” it said.
The court noted it was the admitted case of prosecution that Malhotra had not played any role in the formulation of the excise policy and was even not a part of the ‘South lobby’ paying advance kickbacks of Rs 100 crore.
“Again, he is also not alleged to have paid any such advance kickbacks to co -accused Vijay Nair, other politicians of AAP or other public servants before or in connection with the formulation of the said policy,” the judge said.
The only allegation of payment of any money or bribe against him is in the form of payment of Rs 2.5 crore to co -accused Amit Arora in May 2022, when this policy had already been in operation for a considerable time, he noted.
Even the evidence in the form of a statement by co -accused Amit Arora about the payment of Rs 2.5 crore bribe by him is not convincing enough, the court said.
Regarding the ED’s claim that the accused received proceeds of crime of Rs 48.9 lakh through excess credit notes, it said no specific or connecting evidence showing any such cash payments against the amounts of credit notes has been produced.
The judge said Malhotra also deserved to be granted default bail since the ED filed an “incomplete” supplementary complaint against him and “it has apparently been filed to scuttle or defeat the right of applicant to seek default bail”.
He added that neither Joshi nor Malhotra can be considered a flight risk. The court directed both the accused persons not to leave the country without its permission or threaten or influence witnesses.
However, it is made clear that the observations made in this order are only for the purpose of deciding the bail applications of the applicants and nothing contained in this order shall tantamount to the expression of any opinion on merits of the case, the judge said.
Sisodia, who was arrested on March 9, is currently in judicial custody in the case. The court on April 28 dismissed his bail application in the case, saying the evidence prima facie “speaks volumes of his involvement in commission of the offence”.
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#Excise #policy #case #Delhi #court #grants #bail #accused #citing #insufficient #evidence
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 7, 2023
Transfer Policy Formulated After Careful Consideration Of All Factors: DSEJ

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SRINAGAR: Director School Education, Jammu, Ashok Kumar Sharma on Saturday said that the transfer policy of teachers has been formulated after careful consideration of all the factors related to the transfer process and keeping the interest of the students at the center.
The DSEJ was speaking at an interactive session with the media fraternity which was attended by Dr Rajesh Kumar, Personnel Officer DSEJ, Mamata Sharma, Deputy Director(Planning) DSEJ, and the representatives from electronic, print, and social media.
The Director discussed the various provisions of the transfer policy of teachers with the media personnel and informed them that the objective of the policy is to ensure a fair and transparent transfer process for teaching staff in government schools.
The Director addressed various queries regarding the issues faced by the students studying in private schools and said that appropriate steps would be taken by the Directorate in accordance with the law, to address these issues.
He also urged the private schools to adhere to the guidelines set by the government for ensuring ethical practices and a justifiable fee structure.
The Director School Education Jammu also appreciated the efforts of the media fraternity for maintaining a constructive dialogue on matters related to the education sector.
The department remains committed to ensuring high-quality education for students in Jammu and Kashmir and looks forward to the continued support of the media in this endeavor, he said.
For any further information or queries regarding the new transfer policy for the teaching fraternity interested parties are welcome to contact the office of the Director School Education Jammu/CEOs in the District.

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#Transfer #Policy #Formulated #Careful #Consideration #Factors #DSEJ
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

May 7, 2023
Excise policy case: Delhi court lists ED’s charge sheet against Sisodia on May 10

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New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday posted for consideration the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) supplementary charge sheet filed against former deputy chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia in excise policy case on May 10.
The probe agency informed the Special CBI Judge M.K. Nagpal of Rouse Avenue Court that a proceed of a crime worth Rs 622 crore was generated due to the activities of the accused as excise minister.
On ED apprising the court that hard copy of the supplementary charge sheet has been filed, the judge directed it to file the soft copies of the charge sheet by May 8.

The probe agency had, on Thursday, filed a third supplementary charge sheet in the case naming Sisodia.
This is the first time that the ED has named Sisodia in its charge sheet in the matter. Earlier, the CBI, which is conducting a parallel probe into the excise policy case, had named Sisodia in its supplementary charge sheet.
The ED has alleged that Sisodia was the mastermind behind the entire excise policy case and that he had deliberately leaked the policy to the co-accused to generate financial kickbacks.
Sisodia is currently in judicial custody.
Judge Nagpal had, on April 29, also extended Sisodia’s custody till May 8 in the case registered by the ED.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought ED’s response on Sisodia’s bail plea.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma issued notice on Sisodia’s bail plea and another application seeking interim bail on the ground of his wife’s ill-health.
ED’s counsel Zoheb Hossain said that the response will be filed to both the bail applications within a week.
Accordingly, the court listed the matter for further consideration on May 11.
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#Excise #policy #case #Delhi #court #lists #EDs #charge #sheet #Sisodia
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 6, 2023
Shoot and scoot policy by Go Airlines and Pratt & Whitney

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Chennai: Shoot and scoot seems to be the communication policy being adopted by the two warring groups in the aviation sector – Indias Go Airlines (India) Ltd and the US aircraft engine maker Pratt & Whitney.
Incidentally, Pratt & Whitney India is headed by Ashmita Sethi, who was earlier the Vice President Communications and Public Affairs, South Asia, for Rolls Royce and Director, Communications and Corporate Affairs at Boeing as per her LinkedIn page.
In times of crisis, the principle to be followed is communicate, communicate and communicate is what communication gurus advocate.

But the two companies do not adhere to that and remain silent to questions from IANS and the media but resort to shoot and scoot strategy.
It was the Wadia group’s Go Airlines which fired the first shot blaming Pratt & Whitney for its decision to file a voluntary petition for insolvency with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) Delhi under Section 10 of the Insolvency Bankruptcy Code (IBC).
The airline said that it has approached the NCLT “due to the ever-increasing number of failing engines supplied by Pratt & Whitney’s International Aero Engines, which has resulted in Go First (airline brand) having to ground 25 aircraft (equivalent to approximately 50 per cent of its Airbus A320neo aircraft fleet) as of May 1, 2023.”
“The percentage of grounded aircraft due to Pratt & Whitney’s faulty engines has grown from 7 per cent in December 2019 to 31 per cent in December 2020 to 50 per cent in December 2022. This is despite Pratt & Whitney making several ongoing assurances over the years, which it has repeatedly failed to meet,” Go Airlines said.
Go Airlines had said it has been forced to apply to the NCLT after Pratt & Whitney, the exclusive engine supplier for its Airbus A320neo aircraft fleet, refused to comply with an award issued by an emergency arbitrator appointed in accordance with the 2016 Arbitration Rules of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC).

The airline’s decision to apply for insolvency blaming the engine supplier has taken its lenders, creditors, staff and others entirely by surprise.
Perhaps, Go Airlines is the first airline to blame the engine maker for its financial woes.
With Go Airlines tight lipped some are even wondering whether blaming the engine supplier for its woes is a strategy to get a huge loan waiver.
Be that as it may, on Saturday, Go Airlines issued a summary of technical issues it faced with Pratt & Whitney GTF engines.
The airlines said “Airbus certified two engines to power the new A320neo: Pratt’s PurePower PW1127G-JM engine, and a CFM engine. Pratt & Whitney touted itself as the next generation engine, with the expectation that each Engine would have a lifespan of approximately 15,300 hours on wing before its first full interval shop visit (“FISV”). The expected lifespan of the Engines was an important consideration for GoFirst to go ahead with Pratt & Whitney engines.”
According to Go Airlines, these Engines were understood to have new technology that would be more fuel efficient, produce less noise and be more environmentally friendly and would have lower expected maintenance costs.
“Moreover, Pratt offered better commercial terms compared to its competitor which included financing via their affiliate (UTF) for the Pre Delivery Payments,” the airline added.
Go Airlines said from day one the Pratt & Whitney engines were problematic and has been an industry wide issue.
“The teething problems continue even after so many years clearly indicates an inherent design problem. These GTF engines were developed on an unproven, new’ technology platform prematurely tested and forced into the market to capture airline attention with performance stats that were never achieved,” Go Airline charged.
“Pratt & Whitney engine issues are nowhere related to supply chain challenges as Supply chain issues occur when a product is reliable, robust, functional, and in high demand,” the airline added.
“The engine problems included issues with the Engines’ software, start-up times, starter, main gear box, and fan blades, but the key issues were with the combustor (i.e., there was erosion in the combustion chambers, known as combustor distress’),” Go Airlines said.
“Between 2016 and February 2023, GoFirst carried out 510 GTF Engine removals: 289 Engine Changes as a result of at least 28 different defects, and 221 Engine Swaps,” the airline said in its note.
According to Go Airlines, 15% of total Pratt & Whitney GTF powered aircrafts are grounded because of faulty engines globally (178 aircrafts are grounded out of 1,219 aircrafts as of March 2023).
The most affected region is India with 65 grounded aircrafts out of 178 aircrafts. Out of 60 global customers, only 4 customers have grounded aircrafts in excess of 25 per cent and 2 of them are Indian customers.
“Pratt & Whitney’s recent proposal whereby they proposed to give 5% of induction slots to Go First despite AOG’s at 54 per cent is hard to believe and is a deliberate attempt to kill Go First,” the airline charged.
On their part, a spokesperson of Pratt & Whitney told IANS: “Go First has a lengthy history of missing its financial obligations to Pratt,” a spokesperson for the aircraft engine supplier Pratt & Whitney responded to the IANS list of questions.
However, the official declined to elaborate further on its allegation against Go Airline.
“Pratt & Whitney is committed to the success of our airline customers, and we continue to prioritize delivery schedules for all customers. P&W (Pratt & Whitney) is complying with the March 2023 arbitration ruling related to Go First. As this is now a matter of litigation, we will not comment further,” Pratt & Whitney spokesperson said.
And nothing was heard after that from the global aircraft engine maker.
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#Shoot #scoot #policy #Airlines #Pratt #Whitney
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 6, 2023
Sinema and Tillis pitch two-year border patch as Trump-era policy expires

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The legislation would provide protections for migrants whose return to their home countries would threaten their life, freedom, or expose them to torture. It also provides protections for migrants with acute medical needs, according to a Sinema aide.
The legislation would need at least 60 votes to pass the Senate, making it all but guaranteed that it won’t pass before Title 42’s expiration, and it faces an uphill climb more broadly in a chamber that has struggled in recent years to find consensus on border and immigration issues.
And it comes as the House is set to vote on its own sweeping border and immigration proposal next week. But it’s not meant to be a response to that bill — with aides and senators involved noting that Sinema, Tillis and others are holding broader talks on a separate track — but instead is in response to the looming May 11 date for the expiration of the Trump-era authority.
The end of Title 42 has sparked fierce criticism from Republicans, as well as warnings from some Democrats who worry that the administration doesn’t have the resources positioned along the U.S.-Mexico border to be able to process an increase in migrants seeking entry into the United States.
Eleven Senate Republicans — including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) — sent a letter to Biden Wednesday urging him to reverse course and keep Title 42 in place. Graham, in a press conference on Wednesday, compared the end of Title 42 to “being hit by a slow moving truck in Kansas.”
“I’m asking them to find an acceptable substitute for Title 42,” he added.
The administration had initially planned to end the Trump-era program on May 23, 2022. But the policy got tied up in a lengthy court battle as Republicans made an effort to keep the authority in place. The Biden administration then announced in February that the end of the Covid-19 pandemic public health emergency would also terminate Title 42.
But the issue is rife with potential political trip wires for the Biden administration, who faced public urging from Democrats over the past year to keep the program in place. Tillis and Sinema offered an amendment late last year that, among other provisions, would have extended Title 42 and boosted border funding. The proposal failed but got support from several senators up for reelection in 2024 in red and purple states: Sens. Sinema, Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).

Asked whether he would support a two-year expulsion authority similar to Title 42, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) told reporters on Thursday that he’s instead been “working on getting the resources” border officials need if Title 42 goes away.
“We’re looking at other options. Right now I’ve been focused on getting the resources they need for when May 11 comes,” said Kelly, who previously voted for the duo’s amendment last year.
Manchin, who like Sinema hasn’t yet announced if he will run for reelection, called the end of Title 42 a “shame” and appeared frustrated by Congress’ inability to legislate on the border.
“I think the border has to be secure, period. … It’s a disaster at the border,” Manchin said in a brief interview, asked about steps the administration or lawmakers should take.
The administration has been ramping up its response to the policy ending as they face concerns about being able to respond to a potential increase sparked by both the end of Title 42 and the upcoming summer season.
The administration announced late last month that it would establish immigration processing centers throughout Latin America to help slow down the number of migrants coming to the U.S.
And earlier this week the administration announced it would add another 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border to deal with the influx of migrants expected with the expiration of Title 42.
The additional troops, which are being sent to fill a request from the Department of Homeland Security, will fill “critical capability gaps,” including detection and monitoring, data entry and warehouse support. They will be there for up to 90 days, after which military reservists or contractors will do the work.
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#Sinema #Tillis #pitch #twoyear #border #patch #Trumpera #policy #expires
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

May 4, 2023
Excise policy case: Delhi HC adjourns hearing on Sisodia’s interim bail plea to May 10

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New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday adjourned the hearing on former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia’s interim bail plea in the 2021-22 excise policy case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to May 10.
Appearing for the probe agency, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju submitted before the bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma that “the change from 5 percent to 12 percent in the interest rate was made to get the kickback money. He (Sisodia) made the policy in such a way that guaranteed return in form of kickbacks came”.
“Sisodia concealed legal experts’ opinion given by eminent personalities as well. He hadn’t mentioned it anywhere. It was ignored completely. They (members of AAP) did not include it in the policy,” the ASG added.

He also said that there was a draft note prepared by a person named Rahul Singh on the instance of Manish Sisodia, which can be proved from their WhatsApp chats.
“The original is missing. Only a part of the draft has been retrieved from the phones,” he said.
Taking note of the submission, the judge adjourned the matter for further submissions to May 10.
Notably, Sisodia had moved the high court on Wednesday seeking interim bail in the case on the ground of his wife’s illness.
Earlier on Thursday, the high court had sought the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) response on Sisodia’s bail plea in the same case.

Last week, Special Judge M.K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court had extended Sisodia’s judicial custody till May 12.
The court had also directed the CBI to supply an e-copy of the supplementary charge sheet to Sisodia.
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#Excise #policy #case #Delhi #adjourns #hearing #Sisodias #interim #bail #plea
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 4, 2023
Senate sends bipartisan rebuke of solar tariff policy to Biden’s desk

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The resolution would use the Congressional Review Act to rescind Biden’s moratorium on new tariffs for solar cells and modules from Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The rule was issued as the Commerce Department investigates whether companies are circumventing existing U.S. tariffs on China by funneling products through those four countries.
Commerce issued preliminary findings in December that said Chinese companies were indeed circumventing the tariffs, and its final determination is due later this year. But given the two-year pause, no new tariffs resulting from the probe can be levied until mid-2024.
The resolution resurfaced long-running tensions on the Commerce probe. Solar industry officials who oppose the resolution warn it carries a threat of retroactive duties that will cost jobs, shut down planned solar projects and undercut the Biden administration’s climate goals.
“It’s going to send a devastating message to the solar industry and particularly to our independent, small businesses,” Nevada Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen said in an interview.
Rosen led an open letter Wednesday with eight Democratic senators that argued Biden’s two-year pause on additional tariffs is necessary as the United States works to bolster its domestic manufacturing capabilities.
But supporters of the resolution — including several Senate Democrats — argue it’s necessary to enforce U.S. trade law and support domestic industry, while ensuring the U.S. clean energy transition is not built using Chinese products.
“If you vote no, that means you support slave labor,” said Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who sponsored the Senate resolution. “You don’t want more American jobs and you don’t believe our trade policies mean anything.”
The comment is a reference to the use of forced labor within China’s Xinjiang region — an area of bipartisan concern. The solar industry has vocally opposed the use of forced labor in its supply chain, and the resolution approved Wednesday does not directly mention the topic.

Rosen rejected Scott’s contention on Wednesday.
“We’re always going to be against forced labor. We’re always going to be for holding the Chinese Communist Party’s feet to the fire in everything we do,” she said.
The measure gathered support from nine Senate Democrats on Wednesday: Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Bob Casey and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Jon Tester of Montana and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.
Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the lone GOP senator to vote against the measure.
Sen. Brown, whose state is home to one of the largest U.S. solar manufacturing companies, said in a floor speech Tuesday he was defending U.S. manufacturing.
“You can’t say you want American manufacturing to lead the world and then allow Chinese companies, subsidized always by their government, to skirt the rules and dump solar panels into the U.S.,” he said.
Manchin, the chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, was the only Democrat to attach his name as a co-sponsor of the joint resolution of disapproval. He argued the U.S. cannot continue to let China “get away” with laundering solar energy components through other nations with “absolutely no consequences.”
“Let me be clear: America will never be energy secure or independent if we can’t provide the resources we need, and it would be foolish of us in Congress to allow these waivers to continue any longer,” Manchin said in a statement.
On the other hand, eight House Republicans voted against the resolution last week, with some arguing it would cost solar jobs in their districts.
George Hershman, CEO of utility solar company SOLV Energy, recently called Republican support for the resolution “disappointing,” given how many solar projects are cropping up in red congressional districts.
“The largest solar districts in the country are Republican. That’s where the job impacts are going to be,” he told POLITICO last month. “I mean, I’m as disappointed with Democrats that might sign on to [the resolution] as House Republicans that understand the job creation of solar in their districts.”
Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, called on Biden to “quickly and decisively” veto the resolution.
“Energy workers across the country are looking to President Biden to protect their livelihoods,” she said in a statement.
The vote Wednesday is part of a wider trend of resolutions brought under the Congressional Review Act, which requires only a simple majority to pass the Senate, to undo parts of the Biden administration’s regulatory agenda.
The Senate also voted 50-48 on Wednesday to pass a resolution that would overturn the Biden administration’s protections under the Endangered Species Act for the lesser prairie-chicken, a wild bird found in five states. The White House said Wednesday that Biden will veto that resolution, as well.
Alex Guillén contributed to this report.
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#Senate #sends #bipartisan #rebuke #solar #tariff #policy #Bidens #desk
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

May 4, 2023
Excise policy case: Vijay Nair tried to impress K Kavitha…, says ED

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New Delhi: Former communication in-charge of AAP, Vijay Nair, tried to impress KCR’s daughter K. Kavitha in the Delhi excise policy case, allegedly to gain their trust and generate kickbacks, the ED has said in the charge sheet, quoting another accused Buchi Babu, former CA of Kavitha.
Buchi Babu in his statement said that in March 2021, accused Arun Pillai and Abhishek had connected with Vijay Nair and Sameer Mahandru on Zoom call in Delhi in respect of the business opportunities in the upcoming Delhi excise policy. Buchi Babu said there was a political understanding between K. Kavitha and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
“Vijay Nair was trying to impress K Kavitha with what he could do in the policy. Vijay Nair was acting on behalf of the Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia. Vijay Nair was working on the excise policy at their behalf,” ED has said quoting Buchi Babu.

The understanding was that in exchange of the favours that can be done in the policy and in the Delhi liquor business for K Kavitha, some funds would be given to the AAP. Arun Pillai was also closely working with Vijay Nair on the policy discussions. During this entire process, he was only giving his services as a professional and understanding the business opportunities on her behalf along with Arun Pillai.
When ED asked Buchi Babu about having possession of parts of the Group of Ministers (GoM) report in his phone on March, 21 2021, he said that Vijay Nair sent this message to Arun Pillai and him and then he copied this message from his one phone to other phone.
“Vijay Nair sent this message to show that he is getting those changes added in the GoM and the same he had sent to Buchi Babu and Arun,” the ED charge sheet read.
After the meeting that took place in Gauri Apartments in New Delhi, Buchi Babu, Arun and Abhishek met with Vijay Nair and businessman Dinesh Arora at ITC Kohenoor in Hyderabad in June 2021. The meeting was to discuss various issues pertaining to South Group’s engagement in the Delhi liquor business, proposals etc.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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#Excise #policy #case #Vijay #Nair #impress #Kavitha
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 3, 2023
Delhi excise policy ‘scam’ conspiracy by big leaders of AAP, Kavitha, YSRCP MP: ED charge sheet

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New Delhi: The alleged Delhi excise policy scam was a “conspiracy” by some of the big political leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the ‘South group’ comprising BRS leader K Kavitha, YSR Congress MP M Srinivasulu Reddy and others who “used” proxies to conceal their involvement, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed in its latest charge sheet filed in the case.
A local court took cognisance of this prosecution complaint, filed by the ED on April 27.
“The scam included conspiracy hatched by government functionaries and political leadership cutting across states and payment of bribes to get undue favours,” the federal agency said.

“The main arm of the entire Delhi liquor scam rests on the conspiracy orchestrated by the top leaders of AAP through Vijay Nair on one hand and the South Group which consisted of Raghav Magunta, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, Sarath Reddy and K Kavitha on the other hand.”
Raghav is YSRCP Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy’s son.
“They (South group) were represented by Arun Pillai, Abhishek Boinpally and Buchi Babu,” the agency alleged.
In this conspiracy, it added, some of the big political leaders of various political parties have been found to be involved by using “proxies, dummies and web of exchanges/transactions to conceal their involvement”.
“On one hand it is Manish Sisodia (AAP leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister) and other top leaders of AAP and Vijay Nair who was working under the overall guidance and sanction of Manish Sisodia,” the ED said.

The agency has arrested a dozen people in this case till now including Sisodia, Nair (AAP communication in-charge), Raghav Magunta, and businessmen Reddy, Pillai and Boinpally. It has questioned and recorded the statement of Kavitha and Buchi Babu, alleged to be her accountant.
The agency has furnished a statement of Buchi Babu, recorded under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on March 28, in which he said that he bought a property from Srihari of Phoenix Group in the name of Engrowth Capital.
“D R Anilkumar, husband of Kavitha, was also a partner in this firm (Engrowth Capital). This firm has bought this land at a much-discounted rate from the market because K Kavitha is a big politician in Telangana.
“Similarly, K Kavitha has bought another property of 25,000 sqft from Srihari and Buchi Babu coordinated this paperwork on the directions of K Kavitha,” he told the ED.
“The market value of this property was Rs 1,760 per sqft while she only paid RS 1,260 per sqft. This was done by Srihari for K Kavitha because she is a big politician,” the ED quoted his statement.
Kavitha, the MLC daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, has denied any wrongdoing. The AAP too has called these charges politically motivated.
The ED also appended the statement of Arun Pillai, who is alleged to be the representative of Kavitha in the ‘South Group’, where he said that “in exchange of the kickbacks paid by K Kavitha to the AAP leaders, she got partnership stakes in Indo Spirits (an accused company in this case with its promoter being Sameer Mahandru)…”.
“The amount of kickbacks paid was Rs 100 crore for this deal,” Pillai told the ED.
“The excise policy scam has multiple branches which involved numerous business entities, persons, groups, key government functionaries and a number of middlemen.
“The scam included conspiracy hatched by government functionaries and political leadership cutting across states and payment of bribes to get undue favours.”
“The scam initiated with the drafting of the excise policy of 2021-22 by the AAP leaders, specifically by Manish Sisodia with an objective of generating illegal funds followed by a nexus/understanding between key players of the South Group and Manish Sisodia and thereafter managed by Vijay Nair, who is a representative of AAP, payment of advance kickbacks from the former to the latter in exchange of undue favours,” the ED said.
This was followed by the usage of seemingly simple business entities for the ulterior motive of recouping and recovering the kickbacks paid, it said.
Another aspect, it claimed in the charge sheet, of the scam involved various entities involved in a conspiracy to form cartels to increase their profits illegally and in violation of the principles/objectives of the Excise policy 2021-22.
It is alleged that the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had paid bribes for it, a charge strongly refuted by the AAP.
The policy was subsequently scrapped and the Delhi lieutenant governor recommended a CBI probe, following which the ED registered the case under the PMLA.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 2, 2023