Page 3 - Excise Duty

Centre asserts in SC its right to levy excise duty on industrial alcohol

Asserting its right to regulate industrial alcohol, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Thursday that legislative power to levy excise duty on alcohol not fit for human consumption but meant for industrial use lies exclusively with Parliament. Arguing before a nine-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Attorney General R Venkataramani submitted that a "conscious decision" was taken to treat alcoholic liquors fit for human consumption and alcoholic liquors not fit for human consumption separately, with the former falling within the domain of provincial legislatures and the latter within the ambit of the federal legislature. "It is submitted that the legislative power in relation to levy excise duty upon non-potable liquor is exclusively with the Parliament, and upon potable liquor is exclusively with the Legislatures of the States," Venkataramani told the bench, also comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy, Abhay S Oka, B V Nagarathna, J B Pardiwala, Manoj ...

AAP leader Sanjay Singh walks out of Tihar jail after nearly 6 months

Sanjay Singh was granted bail by the Supreme Court after the ED raised no objections

Excise policy case: Kejriwal remanded in judicial custody till April 15

A Delhi court on Monday sent Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till April 15 in the excise policy-linked money laundering case. Kejriwal was produced in the court of Special Judge Kaveri Baweja after his Enforcement Directorate custody came to an end. The ED had sought 15-day judicial custody of Kejriwal, saying he was "totally uncooperative". Speaking to reporters before entering court, the AAP leader said, "Whatever the prime minister is doing(referring to his arrest) is not good for the country". AAP ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj and Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal were present in court. The federal probe agency had arrested Kejriwal on March 21 in connection with the case. The next day, Special Judge Baweja remanded him in the custody of the ED till March 28. Following this, the court allowed the ED's plea requesting extension of his custodial interrogation by four days till April 1. In its remand application, the probe agency has accused the AAP lead

I-T, CBI also detected Rs 45 cr kickback used in AAP Goa poll campaign: ED

The money trail of the alleged Rs 45 crore kickbacks generated from the Delhi excise policy "scam" and used for the 2022 Goa election campaign by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), as claimed by the Enforcement Directorate, has also been "substantiated" by the CBI and the Income-Tax department in their separate investigations, according to documents filed in court. A wide network of Hawala operators and 'Angadiyas' are also being investigated by the ED in this case where it recently arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and claimed he and his political outfit are liable to be prosecuted in the alleged laundering of these funds. Statements of five 'Angadiya' firm operators have also been recorded by the ED to establish the "money trail" of this alleged Rs 45 crore bribe amount. 'Angadiyas' are informal courier and bank services like Hawala which are especially used by diamond and jewellery sector businesses to transfer big cash amounts and other valuables by skirting the KYC-based ..

Excise case: Court extends Delhi CM Kejriwal's custody till April 1

The agency had sought seven-day custody of the AAP chief, but the court said he has to be produced before the court on April 1 at 11 am

Excise policy case: Delhi HC rejects CM Kejriwal's interim bail plea

The judge, in the order, clarified the matter would be taken up for final disposal on April 3 and no adjournment shall be granted

Delhi excise scam: CM Kejriwal urges HC to order release from ED custody

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday urged the Delhi High Court to order his immediate release from ED custody in connection with a money-laundering case linked to the excise policy 'scam', contending his arrest on the cusp of elections was against the basic structure of the Constitution. Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the AAP leader, argued that the "Object of the arrest was not to find material but to disable me and my party. My prayer is, release me now". Singhvi further claimed that there was no "necessity" to arrest Kejriwal, as mandated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and that the grounds of "non-cooperation" were the most abused by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who orally said she would issue a notice on the petition and grant time to the ED to file a reply to it, said she would pass an order in the matter and upload the same later in the day. Singhvi urged the court to grant interim relief in the meantime to

HC to hear Kejriwal's challenge to arrest in excise policy case on March 27

The Delhi High Court will on Wednesday hear a petition by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. Kejriwal's petition, which has sought his immediate release on account of the arrest and the subsequent remand to ED being "illegal", is listed for hearing before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma at 10.30 am. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener was arrested on March 21 and subsequently remanded to the ED's custody till March 28 by a Delhi court. Kejriwal had moved the high court last week with his petition but according to highly-placed sources, his request for an urgent hearing was turned down as the high court was closed for Holi. On Friday, the trial court had remanded Kejriwal in the ED's custody till March 28 "for his detailed and sustained interrogation". The ED arrested Kejriwal hours after the high court refused to grant him protection from coercive

Delhi excise policy case: BRS leader Kavitha remanded to judicial custody

A court here on Tuesday sent BRS leader K Kavitha to 14-day judicial custody in the Delhi excise policy scam case. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja passed the order after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) did not seek an extension of her custodial interrogation. The BRS leader was sent to seven-day ED custody on March 16 and it was extended by three days last Saturday. During the proceedings, Kavitha's advocate Nitesh Rana sought interim bail on the grounds of her minor son's exam. The counsel for the ED countered the bail, saying even if interim bail is to be considered, then opportunity must be given for filing a reply. The ED underlined that for both interim and regular bail there were stringent provisions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency has alleged that Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was a key member of the 'South Group' that has been accused of paying the AAP kickbacks of Rs 100 crore in return for a bi

Court extends ED custody of Kavitha till Mar 26 in Delhi excise policy case

A court here on Saturday extended the Enforcement Directorate custody of BRS leader K Kavitha, an accused in the Delhi excise policy scam case, till March 26. The federal probe agency has sought a five-day extension of her custody. The ED has alleged that Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was a key member of the 'South Group' that has been accused of paying the AAP kickbacks of Rs 100 crore in return for a big share of liquor licences in the national capital. After producing her in court, the ED said that she was confronted with the statements of four people and a forensic report of the data extracted from her phone. The probe agency also told the court that raids were being conducted at the house of her nephew in Hyderabad. BRS leader's counsel filed a bail plea in court. Kavitha, 46, a Telangana Legislative Council member, was arrested by the central probe agency from her residence at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad on March 15.

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Kejriwal arrested in excise policy-linked money laundering case: A timeline

CM Kejriwal will now appeal to SC on Friday seeking an urgent hearing of his petition for protection from any coercive action by the ED

Excise scam: HC denies Kejriwal protection from coercive action in ED case

The Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to grant Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal any protection from coercive action in an excise policy-linked money laundering case. A bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain listed the AAP leader's application seeking protection for further consideration on April 22 when his main petition challenging the summons is fixed for hearing. "We have heard both sides and we are not inclined at this stage (to grant protection). The respondent is at liberty to file reply," the bench said. The application for interim relief forms part of Kejriwal's petition challenging the Enforcement Directorate's summonses issued to him for questioning. Kejriwal has moved the court in the wake of the latest summons, the ninth issued by the ED, asking him to appear before it on Thursday. During the hearing, the senior counsel for the AAP chief also sought deferment of the summons issued for today. "It is already over. Time is over. He is not attending," Additio

Arvind Kejriwal-ED row: Why Delhi CM skipped 9 summons by probe agency

Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party has said that the AAP chief is willing to appear before the ED but could be arrested by them during interrogation to stop him for campaigning for Lok Sabha polls

Delhi excise policy scam: K Kavitha sent to ED custody till March 23

A Delhi court will pronounce later on Saturday its order on the Enforcement Directorate's plea seeking BRS leader K Kavitha's remand in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. The agency produced Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, before Special Judge for ED cases M K Nagpal, and sought her custody for 10 days. While being produced before the court, Kavitha termed her arrest as illegal and said, "We will fight it (case) out in court." Kavitha, 46, a Telangana Legislative Council member, was arrested by the central probe agency from her residence at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad Friday evening. During the hearing, senior advocate Vikram Chaudhari, appearing for Kavitha along with advocate Nitesh Rana, told the judge her arrest was "illegal". The counsel also accused the federal anti-money laundering agency of flouting the Supreme Court direction while arresting her. They claimed the apex court had directed the ED

Punjab cabinet clears excise policy, aims at over Rs 10,000 cr collections

The Punjab cabinet gave its nod on Saturday to the excise policy for 2024-25, which is aimed at garnering revenue to the tune of more than Rs 10,000 crore from the sale of liquor. A decision to this effect was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann here. Addressing reporters here after the meeting, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the cabinet has approved the new excise policy -- the third such policy of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. "For the first time, more than Rs 10,000 crore will be generated from it," Cheema said. He said during the previous Congress regime, the revenue from liquor sale was merely Rs 6,151 crore. The new excise policy envisages allotment of liquor vends through a draw of lots, the minister said, adding that instead of 172 groups, 232 groups have been formed this time. "Liquor vends will be allotted through a draw of lots," he said. In another decision, the cabinet also gave its approval for allowing colonisers t

20% of Budget is towards capex, says Delhi Finance Minister Atishi

She tells that the Centre by treating the Union Territory unfairly in devolution of central taxes was killing the goose that lays golden eggs

ED issues seventh summons to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in excise policy case

While issuing the summons, ED has also rejected Kejriwal's contention that the agency should wait for the court's decision instead of repeatedly sending summonses

Rationalise high excise duties on alcohol beverages: Iswai to state govts

ISWAI, which represents the imported premium portfolio of spirits and wine brands in India, on Monday urged state governments to rationalise high excise duties. The International Spirits & Wines Association of India (ISWAI) said manufacturers of alcohol beverages (Alco-Bev) are facing shrinking margins due to high discriminatory taxes, along with soaring inflation and import tariffs. It has urged regulators to consider an "inflation-linked model that will bring much-needed transparency and a consistent approach to state supplier pricing", said a statement from ISWAI. In some states, excise duties account for 70-80 per cent of the Maximum Retail Price (MRP), it said, adding that inflation is putting additional pressure on the industry. "As inflation rates rise in the country, the Alco-Bev sector faces significant challenges due to escalating costs of production, transportation, raw materials, and exorbitant import duties. This combination poses a dire threat to the industry's ...

U'khand govt approves new excise policy, sets revenue target of Rs 4,440 cr

The Uttarakhand government on Wednesday approved the state's new excise policy setting a revenue target of Rs 4,440 crore for 2024-25. The target for the next fiscal set by the cabinet is 11 per cent more than that of the current financial year (2023-24) which stood at Rs 4000 crore. The decision to approve the new excise policy was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Secretary Radha Raturi told reporters. The new excise policy will boost the state's revenue by high quality, aromatic liquor production using the Himalayan state's rich herbal and floral wealth, the fruits grown here and its multiple water resources, she said. It will also enhance the income of farmers in the state, the chief secretary said. It makes provision for a micro distillation unit in the hills to promote innovation and investment in the field in hilly areas, she said. The new policy makes provisions for the first time for the bottling of foreign liqu