Delhi Liquor Scam: CBI makes first arrest, nabs businessman Vijay Nair

Vijay Nair, the former CEO of Only Much Louder, an entertainment and event management firm, and one of the prime suspects in the liquor scam, had gone to London. He returned to join the probe and was placed under arrest.

In a latest development in the alleged excise policy scam in Delhi, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) made its first arrest on Tuesday by nabbing businessman Vijay Nair. Sources told IANS that Nair was arrested from Delhi and now the CBI will seek his custodial remand.

Nair, the former CEO of Only Much Louder, an entertainment and event management firm, and one of the prime suspects in the liquor scam, had gone to London. He returned to join the probe and was placed under arrest. The CBI has alleged that Nair was actively involved in the irregularities in framing and implementing the excise policy for the year 2021-22.

Nair was reportedly a volunteer of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and allegedly helped party leaders by organising events and also managed their social media handles. On behalf of Nair, Sameer Mahendru, Director of Indospirits, allegedly paid around Rs 2-4 crore to Arjun Pandey, an associate of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

There are allegations that Arun Ramchandra Pillai, a resident of Kokapet in Hyderabad, used to collect undue pecuniary advantages from Mahendru for onward transmission of money to accused public servants through Nair.