Delhi excise policy scam: Who is Boinpalli Abhishek Rao and why he was held in this case?

Hyderabad: Hyderabad-based businessman Boinpally Abhishek Rao, who has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Delhi excise policy scam allegedly involving national capital's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, is associated with several companies.

He is a director of Anoos Electrolysis & Obesity Pvt Ltd, Anoos Health & Wellness Pvt Ltd, Robin Distribution LLP, Agasti Ventures, SS Mines & Minerals, Master Sand LLP, Neoverse Realty Pvt Ltd, Zeus Networking Pvt Ltd and Valuecare Esthetics Pvt Ltd.

Considered close to a key leader of the ruling party in Telangana, he is the first person from Hyderabad to be arrested in the case. Rao was allegedly found to be acting as a south lobby. The investigating agency suspects that he committed irregularities through cartelization.

Rao is the second person to be arrested in the excise policy. The CBI had earlier arrested Vijay Nair, former CEO of events company- Only Much Louder. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also arrested liquor trader Sameer Mahendru of Indo Spirit.

He has business links with another accused held from Hyderabad

He is said to have business links with Arun Ramachandra Pillai, a resident of Hyderabad and one of the persons booked by the CBI in the case. Rao's arrest came after several rounds of raids conducted by the CBI and ED at various places in Hyderabad, including in the office of a media house. He was also reportedly questioned by the CBI a couple of times in the case.

According to the CBI investigation, Arun used to collect money from Sameer Mahendru for onward transmission to the accused public servants through Vijay Naidu.

The liquor license holders allegedly issued bills to retail vendors to divert funds to public servants involved in irregularities. This is where some companies from Hyderabad are believed to have helped in illegal transactions.

Further questioning of the CBI is likely to unearth the role of some other suspects in the case. Six to seven to eight businessmen and a couple of politicians and officials from Telugu states are believed to be involved in the case.

The officials hailing from Telugu states are said to be holding key positions in the Delhi government. The Hyderabad-based businessmen reported to have colluded with politicians and officials in the Delhi government to influence the liquor policy of that state to derive monetary benefits from it.