New Delhi, September 9 (Udaipur Kiran) — The Delhi High Court, under Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, has granted bail to Sameer Mahendru and Manpreet Singh in the money laundering case linked to the Delhi Excise Policy. The court had reserved its decision on August 14. Sameer Mahendru had already received bail in a related CBI case.
During the hearing, advocate Dhruv Gupta, representing Sameer Mahendru, stated that his client had been in custody for over 22 months. He pointed out that Manish Sisodia, another accused, was granted bail by the Supreme Court after 17 months of detention. Gupta argued that Mahendru had a stronger case for bail than Sisodia. He mentioned the Supreme Court’s decision to grant bail to Sisodia due to delays in the trial. He also argued that compliance with Section 45 of the Money Laundering Act is not mandatory and that Article 21 of the Constitution, which protects personal liberty, should take precedence. Gupta highlighted that although Mahendru is not a politician, he has been detained for over 22 months.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) opposed Mahendru’s bail petition, stating that delays in economic crime trials should not justify bail. They noted that Mahendru had previously received interim bail due to his wife’s poor health.
The ED filed a chargesheet against Sameer Mahendru on November 26, 2022. He was arrested on September 28, 2022. Mahendru is the managing director of Indospirit Group and is known to be a close associate of Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. According to a CBI FIR, Mahendru had paid five crore rupees to a close associate of Sisodia. Mahendru is said to have played a key role in shaping Delhi’s excise policy.
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Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
