DELHI LIQUOR SCAM: Arun Ramchandra Pillai Denied Bail

Hyderabad: In the Delhi liquor scam case, the Rouse Avenue court at Delhi on Thursday dismissed the bail application of Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai, arrested in a money laundering case related to the alleged scam.

The court opined that Pillai's role was more serious than that of some other accused who are still in jail. Special judge M.K. Nagpal said, "This court is prima facie of the view that there is a genuine case made out by the investigating agency before this court showing active involvement of the applicant in commission of the alleged offence of money laundering and thus, this court is not able to arrive at any finding contrary to the said view."

The court also rejected the submission made by Pillai's counsel that his arrest in the case was not legal or justified, saying the evidence and material collected during the investigation spoke "volumes of his involvement in commission of the alleged offence of money laundering and his association with the other conspirators."

Pillai is said to be a close associate of BRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha, daughter of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. Based on his statements only, the Enforcement Directorate had called Kavitha for questioning. He later retracted his statements.