SC grants bail to Amandeep Singh Dhall in Delhi liquor policy case; All accused now out on bail
New Delhi: The Supreme Court today granted bail to Amandeep Singh Dhall, a businessman and director of Brindco Sales Private Limited, in connection with the alleged corruption case arising from the Delhi liquor policy. With this order, all the accused in the case, including AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and BRS leader K Kavitha, have now been granted bail.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan delivered the decision while addressing Dhall’s appeal against the Delhi High Court's June 2024 ruling, which had denied him regular bail in the CBI investigation. The bench noted that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had proposed around 300 witnesses, making it unlikely that the trial would conclude soon. Considering Dhall's 1.5-year custody period, the court found that his continued detention was unnecessary.
Dhall had earlier secured bail in a related money laundering case. Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave, representing Dhall, highlighted that all co-accused had already received bail except his client.
During the proceedings, Justice Kant urged the CBI to focus on achieving convictions rather than just securing detentions, stating, "The message to hardened, white-collar criminals is that they either remain inside or get away with no consequence. Your conviction rate needs attention."
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Maharashtra government considers tweaks to Ladki Bahin scheme amid fiscal strain: Reports
Mumbai: A day after the Mahayuti coalition secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, attention has turned to the Ladki Bahin Yojana, a flagship welfare scheme that played a pivotal role in attracting women voters.
The scheme, launched in July 2024, offers ₹1,500 per month to economically disadvantaged women aged 18 to 65. The Mahayuti, in its election manifesto, pledged to increase the amount to ₹2,100 per month, a promise now under scrutiny due to fiscal concerns. With the scheme projected to cost the exchequer ₹33,300 crore from July 2024 to March 2025, bureaucrats are exploring ways to revise its provisions to prevent a financial imbalance.
Finance Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar hinted at the challenges, stressing the need for "financial discipline." A senior bureaucrat confirmed that plans are underway to prune the list of beneficiaries, citing the inclusion of ineligible individuals due to incomplete Aadhaar seeding and lack of required ration cards. According to the finance department, nearly one crore women out of the 2.43 crore registered beneficiaries may not qualify for the scheme.
The state’s debt burden is already projected to reach ₹7.82 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2024-25. Officials warn that continuing the scheme in its current form could impact the government’s ability to pay salaries by January. Despite these concerns, the ruling coalition is hesitant to reduce the beneficiary list, likely due to the upcoming civic elections.
Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik is expected to present renegotiation proposals to the new chief minister soon. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde credited the scheme for increasing the number of women voters and boosting the coalition’s vote share. NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar also acknowledged the scheme’s role in mobilising women voters.
Other welfare measures introduced by the government include an electricity bill waiver for farmers and three free LPG cylinders annually for six million households. However, the financial viability of such initiatives remains a pressing concern.
