Delhi HC upholds denial of L1 liquor licence to Pernod Ricard over ED case

Delhi High Court dismissed Pernod Ricard's challenge to the excise commissioner's rejection of its L1 wholesale liquor licence in Delhi, citing a pending ED money laundering probe tied to the scrapped 2021 excise policy. The ruling locks the maker of Chivas, Absolut and Royal Stag out of Delhi's wholesale channel.

— Source publishedFri, 29 May, 2026, 22:42 IST·First seen Fri, 29 May, 2026, 22:50 IST·Source ET Small Business

What happened

Delhi HC dismissed Pernod Ricard's plea against denial of an L1 wholesale liquor licence, upholding the excise commissioner's rejection citing a pending ED

Key facts

  • 200 brands
  • 30 years

Why this matters

Competing spirits majors gain a window to capture Pernod's vacated Delhi wholesale share, while the ruling sets a precedent linking pending ED probes to licence eligibility across states.