Diageo India's CEO summoned by Delhi city police in liquor payments case
Diageo India CEO asked to appear before police on Friday -notice
Probe linked to liquor discounts to government agencies -source
Diageo India listed as United Spirits in India
Diageo India says it will cooperate with investigation
By Aditya Kalra and Arpan Chaturvedi
NEW DELHI, July 25 (Reuters) -The CEO of Diageo's Indian business has been summoned by New Delhi anti-corruption police investigating billing and discount practices involving government agencies running liquor retail shops between 2017 and 2020, according to a source and a police notice seen by Reuters.
Hina Nagarajan, the CEO of United Spirits UNSP.NS, has been asked to appear before police on Friday and provide several documents related to company sales, according to a confidential July 4 police notice to the CEO seen by Reuters.
"You are hereby directed to appear in person or through a company representative ... for joining (the) investigation," said the notice.
Nagarajan, who is also a member of United Spirits majority-owner Diageo's DGE.L global executive committee, did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. Diageo owns about 56% of United Spirits which is also known as Diageo India.
A spokesperson for Diageo India confirmed receiving the Delhi police notice and said the company would fully cooperate and was "in the process of providing the information sought".
"We are in the process of sending in an authorised representative, as sought in the notice," the spokesperson added, saying the company could not comment further as the investigation was ongoing.
A liquor industry source with direct knowledge of the matter said the Delhi investigation concerned how companies like Diageo India supplied liquor to government agencies which ran retail shops, and how those agencies sometimes offered early payments to suppliers who offered discounts.
The police is investigating whether there was any wrongdoing in this process and has called the United Spirits CEO as a witness, the source added.
The July 4 police notice asked Nagarajan to explain "whether the discount given to the corporations (government agencies) was in accordance with excise policy", the document shows.
Delhi city police and the chief minister's office did not respond to Reuters queries. A senior police source said the investigation was ongoing.
The Indian capital remains a major market for premium liquor brands given its appeal to tourists.
Euromonitor estimates Diageo, the world's biggest spirits maker which sells the Johnnie Walker scotch whisky, is also India's largest with a 19% market share by volume in the $35 billion market.
It competes with Pernod Ricard PERP.PA, though the French company has been unable since late 2020 to sell alcohol in New Delhi - which accounted for 5% of its Indian sales - after authorities rejected its attempt to obtain a licence.
The nine-point July 4 police notice also sought invoice details from United Spirits in respect of sales and payments received from Delhi city agencies during April 2017 and March 2020, and the name of the company employee who collected payments.
Police also asked the company for bank statements of that period, it shows.
Reporting by Aditya Kalra and Arpan Chaturvedi; Additional reporting by Chris Thomas; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise
Mga Kaugnay na Asset
Pinakabagong Balita
Disclaimer: Ang mga kabilang sa XM Group ay nagbibigay lang ng serbisyo sa pagpapatupad at pag-access sa aming Online Trading Facility, kung saan pinapahintulutan nito ang pagtingin at/o paggamit sa nilalaman na makikita sa website o sa pamamagitan nito, at walang layuning palitan o palawigin ito, at hindi din ito papalitan o papalawigin. Ang naturang pag-access at paggamit ay palaging alinsunod sa: (i) Mga Tuntunin at Kundisyon; (ii) Mga Babala sa Risk; at (iii) Kabuuang Disclaimer. Kaya naman ang naturang nilalaman ay ituturing na pangkalahatang impormasyon lamang. Mangyaring isaalang-alang na ang mga nilalaman ng aming Online Trading Facility ay hindi paglikom, o alok, para magsagawa ng anumang transaksyon sa mga pinansyal na market. Ang pag-trade sa alinmang pinansyal na market ay nagtataglay ng mataas na lebel ng risk sa iyong kapital.
Lahat ng materyales na nakalathala sa aming Online Trading Facility ay nakalaan para sa layuning edukasyonal/pang-impormasyon lamang at hindi naglalaman – at hindi dapat ituring bilang naglalaman – ng payo at rekomendasyon na pangpinansyal, tungkol sa buwis sa pag-i-invest, o pang-trade, o tala ng aming presyo sa pag-trade, o alok para sa, o paglikom ng, transaksyon sa alinmang pinansyal na instrument o hindi ginustong pinansyal na promosyon.
Sa anumang nilalaman na galing sa ikatlong partido, pati na ang mga nilalaman na inihanda ng XM, ang mga naturang opinyon, balita, pananaliksik, pag-analisa, presyo, ibang impormasyon o link sa ibang mga site na makikita sa website na ito ay ibibigay tulad ng nandoon, bilang pangkalahatang komentaryo sa market at hindi ito nagtataglay ng payo sa pag-i-invest. Kung ang alinmang nilalaman nito ay itinuring bilang pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, kailangan mong isaalang-alang at tanggapin na hindi ito inilaan at inihanda alinsunod sa mga legal na pangangailangan na idinisenyo para maisulong ang pagsasarili ng pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, at dahil dito ituturing ito na komunikasyon sa marketing sa ilalim ng mga kaugnay na batas at regulasyon. Mangyaring siguruhin na nabasa at naintindihan mo ang aming Notipikasyon sa Hindi Independyenteng Pananaliksik sa Pag-i-invest at Babala sa Risk na may kinalaman sa impormasyong nakalagay sa itaas, na maa-access dito.
