Delhi liquor policy case: ED raids four locations in Punjab

Chandigarh: The enforcement directorate (ED) teams on Friday conducted searches at about four locations in Punjab, including the premises linked with the region’s liquor baron Deep Malhotra, a former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA, in connection with the ongoing probe into the alleged irregularities in Delhi liquor policy 2021-2022.

The ED had registered a case of money laundering in the matter in September on the basis of a case registered by CBI against Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and about a dozen others including senior officials as well as people in the liquor business.

The searches on Friday were conducted at the different premises linked with liquor contractors as well as others associated with the liquor business in Chandigarh and Punjab’s Faridkot, Mansa and Ludhiana districts.

According to reports, the searches were also conducted at various locations linked with Malhotra, including his residence in Faridkot and other premises in Ludhiana and Mansa. His company was reportedly running several liquor vends in Delhi and according to information, Malhotra was also a partner in two firms, which got licences to operate liquor vends in Delhi for three groups.

It is pertinent to mention here that the searches were subsequent to the recent arrest of one Sameer Mahendru, the managing director of a liquor firm, for his alleged role in the irregularities linked with Delhi liquor policy.

According to information, the ED searches were held at about 35 locations across National Capital Region (NCR), Punjab, Chandigarh and Hyderabad and the same were still on at several places including in Punjab till the time of filing this report.