We need to work harder because our chief is in jail: AAP’s Sanjay Singh

The AAP Rajya Sabha MP, who was released on bail on Tuesday, said Sunil Kumar Rinku from Jalandhar joining the BJP was unexpected

Rajya Sabha MP and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh, was released on bail in the excise case on Tuesday. In an interview with HT, he spoke about the cases against the AAP leaders, party’s strategy and continuation of Arvind Kejriwal as the Delhi CM. Excerpts:

AAP leader Sanjay Singh at the party headquarters on DDU Marg in New Delhi on Saturday. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

Arvind Kejriwal has been put in jail under a deep, political conspiracy. Their [Bharatiya Janata Party] purpose is to crush the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Of the 456 Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) witnesses, only four have named Arvind Kejriwal under duress by the agencies. Both these agencies have filed 50,000 pages of charge sheet.

One of the four witnesses are Magunta Reddy and Raghav Magunta. A raid was conducted on September 16, 2022 on Magunta Reddy’s house in connection with the excise policy case. He did not give any statement against Arvind Kejriwal. His son, Raghav Magunta, was arrested on February 10, 2023. His son gave seven statements of which six did not mention Kejriwal. But, in the seventh one, he [Magunta] named Kejriwal. On July 18, he [Raghav] was granted bail. The ED hid the statements that were not against Kejriwal.

Also, Sarath Chandra Reddy who was arrested on November 10, 2024, gave 12 statements to ED till April 25. Of these, 10 did not mention Kejriwal’s name. In the last two statements he named Kejriwal and was granted bail due to back pain. ED had called Sarath Reddy the kingpin of the excise scam. Later, the same kingpin paid ₹55 crore to the BJP through electoral bonds after he was arrested. So basically the BJP is behind the alleged liquor scam.

The allegations of scams against us are nothing but hollow statements because not a single rupee has been recovered from any of our leaders. It is a big political conspiracy.

LG is not the architect of the constitution, Dr BR Ambedkar is. The Constitution of the country does not bar a sitting chief minister from holding the office of the CM from jail. Arvind Kejriwal will remain the chief minister of Delhi. It has been unanimously decided by all AAP MLAs. After the 2025 assembly election as well, Kejriwal will once again become the Delhi CM, because the people of Delhi will elect the AAP with a higher margin.

Definitely, Kejriwal is the chief of the party and his arrest has left the party leaders and workers disappointed and in pain. Manish Sisodia and [Satyendar] Jain are also in jail, their family members are suffering. Kejriwal has been put in jail without any evidence. If false cases and false statements become the basis of the arrest of a sitting chief minister, if fabricated cases become the basis of the resignation of CMs, then no opposition government will survive in the country. BJP is running a dictatorial government.

In some places, the electioneering has already begun. We will do extensive campaigning and leave no stone unturned in making sure that our candidates and the candidates of the INDIA bloc win. No statesman puts opposition leaders in jail during election, freezes the accounts of the opposition party. It is done by a leader who believes that they are going to lose the elections. INDIA bloc will win the 2024 election and the Lok Sabha elections will throw up a surprising result.

Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested because Narendra Modi is scared of losing the elections. You [BJP] managed to disturb us for some days, but despite that a big rally of the INDIA bloc was held in Ramlila Maidan. It could not stop our work. In the middle of all this, god delivered justice and I came out of jail. I have been working 24x7 since I came out. The AAP workers need to understand that we need to work harder because our chief is in jail. We will do it.

It was painful for me. I did not expect that he will do such a thing. History will judge it. 14 former CMs of Congress have joined the BJP. In the case of a calamity or an adverse situation, rats abandon a ship first. The BJP’s ship is sinking. After the Lok Sabha elections, the same guys will leave the BJP as well because they are easily scared. People do not trust such leaders.

When the BJP speaks against corruption, it seems that Osama Bin Laden is preaching non-violence. BJP’s (former) president (Bangaru Laxman) was convicted for receiving kickbacks in a defence deal. What the BJP says is insignificant. Modi is welcoming all the corrupt leaders into his party.

She [Sunita Kejriwal] is the one who is able to interact with Arvind Kejriwal because he is in jail. Kejriwal’s messages are reaching the party through her. If the court allows, more lines of communication may open with Kejriwal. Currently, the party is facing a tough time. The party is focused on the campaign for its candidates.

Different people have been tasked with various responsibilities such as organisation, media and others. The system has always been in place and the work is going on.