The Supreme Court on Thursday extended till May 8 the interim bail of five weeks granted to Hyderabad businessman Abhishek Boinpally on March 28 in the Delhi Liquor Policy case.
Though the case was not listed today, it was taken on board by the bench comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta upon mention by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal. The judgment was passed as the case was directed to be listed in week commencing April 29 but had been postponed to May.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna passed the order, stating that the interim bail granted by earlier order will continue till the next date of hearing, that is May 8. Abhishek Boinpally, who is a former director of Robin Distilleries LLP and an alleged middleman is among the many people being investigated in the Delhi Liquor Policy case.
The apex court granted interim bail to Boinpally, who mentioned medical problems during his incarceration for it, while directing him to surrender his passport to the trial court and remain in Delhi except when travelling to his native Hyderabad. The court also allowed the trial court to impose necessary bail conditions to ensure there was no hindrance to the ED’s pending investigation.
The businessman was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in October 2022, but one month later, got bail in the case. Nonetheless, the relief was short-lived as at the same time, Special Judge MK Nagpal allowed the ED’s plea to take Boinpally into custody for five days. Following the same, since October 2022, Boinpally had remained in custody.
Later in November 2022, the ED arrested him in connection with the money laundering probe relating to the same case. The investigation agency has linked the proceeds of the crime of Rs 105.55 crores to Boinpally, which he has denied claiming the link was based on uncorroborated statements of witnesses.
Abhishek Boinpally faces trial in the case along with former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia. He is accused of influencing the now-scrapped 2021-22 Delhi excise policy and being part of the conspiracy for undue benefits to private liquor traders.