Liquorgate: ED arrests son of Ongole MP

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Raghav Magunta, son of YSR Congress Party MP from Ongole Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, in connection with its money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy case, officials said Saturday. Raghav Magunta was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Friday evening, they said.

This is the ninth arrest in this case by the ED, and the third this week. It arrested Gautam Malhotra, son of former SAD MLA from Punjab Deep Malhotra, and Rajesh Joshi, the director of an advertising company called Chariot Productions Media Pvt Ltd, earlier in the week. The ED has also included the name of BRS MLC K Kavitha in the remand report of Raghava Reddy.

The agency had alleged that a cartel called 'South Group' of liquor retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers was created as part of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy, and the father and son duo were part of it. It had searched premises linked to the Member of Parliament last year. The ED, till now, has filed two charge sheets or prosecution complaints in this case.

The money laundering case stems from a CBI FIR. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and other excise officials of the government were named as accused in the CBI and the ED complaints