ED Doubted Approver's Intention, Said 'No' To His Visit Abroad Before Kejriwal's Arrest: Report (Photo on X Coreena Enet Suares @CoreenaSuares2)
An article published by the media house Indian Express shows how the Enforcement Directorate (ED) expressed its lack of trust in the key approver in the Delhi excise scam case. The key evidence for the ED against the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is said to be the statement of the non-executive director of Hyderabad-based Aurobindo Pharma, P Sarath Chandra Reddy. The statement was recorded on April 2023 about his alleged discussion with the Delhi chief minister on their agreement.
Sarath Reddy was arrested in November 2022 and on May 2023, a special court presided over by Judge MK Nagpal made him an approver and granted pardon. On March 19, this year, Nagpal was transferred and the case was taken over by Special Judge Kaveri Baweja.
As per the court records, six months after Reddy became an approver and three months before the AAP chief”s arrest, the central agency questioned the approver”s intention. The ED feared that Mr Reddy would not return to back the agency”s case if he was permitted to travel abroad.
The ED submitted to the court that the travel permission may adversely affect the investigation. The ED also submitted documents to prove that Mr Reddy ignored its summons even after the pardon to convince the court against granting travel permission. He had submitted a petition for travel permission to France and Switzerland for 21 days, noting the need to attend some of his firm”s Europe wing”s programs.
The Court however permitted Mr Reddy to travel abroad and observed three points. It noted that he was granted pardon because ED had submitted that he specifically cooperated in the investigation and revealed certain factual information. The information was crucial in its ongoing investigation.
First, it said Reddy was granted pardon “only because his above plea was supported by the prosecution (ED)”. The ED had specifically submitted that Reddy had “cooperated in the subsequent investigation and had disclosed certain facts, which were crucial and relevant for the ongoing further investigation”. The Court also noted the fundamental right to life to permit the travel.
However, though the ED noted Reddy”s alleged role in the case, the Court observed that Reddy received a conditional pardon for the disclosure of the incriminating facts. The Court added that if Reddy fails to keep the condition of the pardon, he is liable to be tied as an accused.
Notably, as the Election Commission released the electoral bond data following a Supreme Court order, the data showed that five days after the Reddy arrest in 2022, Aurobindo Pharma bought electoral bonds worth Rs 5 crore and the BJP enchased the bonds six days later, Indian Express reveals.
Aurobindo Pharma purchased another bond worth Rs 25 crore months after Reddy recorded a statement in the case which is now cited by the agency as important evidence for the arrest of the Delhi Chief Minister. The saffron party on November 2023 encashed this bond, according to the media house.
