Sanjay Singh arrest Highlights: Delhi court grants 5-day ED custody to AAP MP

Police on Thursday used water cannons to disperse Aam Aadmi Party workers who were protesting against the arrest of party MP Sanjay Singh here.

AAP workers were trying to break through the police barricades to protest near the office of the Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

AAP National Convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal following the arrest of party leader Sanjay Singh in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case said that the Centre is putting up false cases and wasting the time of investigative agencies .

Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday morning raided the residence of Sanjay Singh in connection with the now-cancelled liquor excise policy in the national capital which followed his arrest.

"They are just putting false cases. Nothing comes out in the investigation. This is a waste of time for the investigative agencies. The country will not progress by putting false cases on people," said Kejriwal.

When asked about bail application of another APP leader Manish Sisodia who is also lodged in jail, Kejriwal said, "As the matter is sub judice I don't want to comment but the kind of question Supreme Court was asking, I was feeling that a wrong case has been made."

The Congress on Thursday expressed solidarity with AAP MP Sanjay Singh and said it rejects the use of government agencies to settle political scores, but also opposed the arrest of party leaders Sukhpal Khaira and O P Soni in AAP-ruled Punjab.

Senior Congress leader K C Venugopal said the party stands by authorities acting within the boundaries of the Constitution, asserting that "we cannot become those we oppose", in comments viewed as a reminder to the Punjab government of its action against the two Congress leaders in the state.

Sr Adv Mohit Mathur appeared for Sanjay Singh and said, "This case investigation keeps going and will never end. Dinesh Arora who is a star witness was made accused earlier by both agencies and later he turned approver in the case."

Sanjay Singh's lawyer opposed the remand plea of ED and said that demanding 10 days is an absurd position for someone who is not involved in the matter at all.

A city court on Thursday sent senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh to five-day custody of the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi Excise policy case even as the anti-money laundering agency alleged that an accused businessman Dinesh Arora had given ₹two crore cash at the Rajya Sabha MP's residence in two tranches.

Singh strongly rebutted the claim. He was arrested by the ED on Wednesday in connection with its money laundering probe linked to the 2021-22 Delhi Excise policy case and was the second high profile leader after Manish Sisodia, a former deputy chief minister, to be held in this case, in a big jolt to Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Special Judge M K Nagpal granted the ED five-day custody of Singh to enable the central probe agency to interrogate him.

Echoing the concerns of his Delhi counterpart, Arvind Kejriwal, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren said that there are speculations that many people (opposition political leaders) are in line (to get arrested).

"How agencies are being used for political benefits can be seen in front of the world... Why are you talking only about Sanjay Singh? There are many people in line. There are talks about us also," CM Soren said while speaking to ANI in Ranchi on Thursday.

He also spoke about allegations against him in a money laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate.

"I come from the Adivasi community, and allegations are made against me for Benami's property... You know how Adivasi land and property are bought and sold... Our property is neither bought nor sold, nor does the bank help; what will one do by buying property?", CM Soren asked brushing off the allegations under the carpet.

The BJP on Thursday hit out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying the AAP leadership is "nervous" after Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh's arrest in the "liquor scam" case and is spending huge resources to protect him.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday took into custody Singh -- the second high-profile AAP leader arrested after Manish Sisodia -- in a case related to alleged irregularities in implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy.

Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala and MP Parvesh Verma also alleged during a press conference at the BJP's national headquarters that Kejriwal is the "kingpin" behind the "scam" and his role will soon be investigated.

Aam Aadmi Party workers on Thursday held a massive protest outside their Rouse Avenue Road office, clogging the entire stretch for hours, for the release of their leader Sanjay Singh whom the Enforcement Directorate arrested in connection with the excise policy case.

The protesters met with police barricades as they marched towards the BJP headquarters with banners, raising slogans against the party at the helm at the Centre.

The entire area witnessed beefed-up security with barricades at several points across the road leading up to the grand BJP office.

Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dependra Pathak said they made adequate arrangements to contain the protesters.

"We presented the arguments that there has been no recovery, no evidence and no exchange of money as the scam never happened. The investigation by ED and CBI is itself a scam," says AAP leader Somnath Bharti after party MP Sanjay Singh was sent to ED custody till October 10.

Addressing a press conference, senior AAP leader Atishi claimed that over 500 officers of the ED and CBI conducted raids at several places linked to the AAP leaders in the last 15 months but "haven't found a single evidence" against them.

"They raided Manish Sisodia's residence, offices and several other places but they couldn't find evidence of corruption of even a single penny. And now, Sanjay Singh has been targeted," she said.

"The ED officers raided every inch of Sanjay Singh's residence but couldn't find anything. They arrested him because he constantly raised issues of the Centre's corruption," she added.

Atishi said that if there is any evidence against Singh, the Centre "should make it public."

"I want to challenge the BJP that if they have found any evidence against Sanjay Singh, they should make it public or they should quit politics. They can send their officers anywhere where Sanjay Singh has been and I can vouch they will not find anything against him," she claimed.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh sent to ED remand till October 10 in Delhi Excise policy case, says, "...False and baseless allegations, we are not scared, we will fight back."

Delhi Rouse Avenue Court grants ED custody of AAP MP Sanjay Singh till October 10.

On the arrest of AAP's Sanjay Singh, Congress leader K C Venugopal says, "...The Union government is targeting the leaders of the opposition... We strongly condemn this type of activity...The entire set of democratic values and principles has been hijacked... They are scared, which is why they are doing all this type of intimidation against the leaders of the opposition... Don't misuse the agencies, whether they are state or centre..."

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Thursday accused the Centre of misusing central agencies and said that the entire country is watching how AAP leader Sanjay Singh was arrested.

"The incident that happened yesterday and the way the central government is misusing its agencies has now become well known," Pilot told reporters in Tonk, referring to the arrests of NewsClick founder-editor Prabir Purkayastha and AAP Rajya Sabha member Singh by probe agencies.

Pilot said that the 90-95 per cent of the raids and actions taken by CBI, ED, and Income Tax Department are against those who are speaking against the BJP-led central government, those who are their opponents in politics.

"The country is watching this entire episode and I believe this is not right," Pilot said.

AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the agencies keep investigating but nothing comes out of the probe.

“It's a waste of time. The way the Supreme Court was asking questions today (in connection withManish Sisodia's case) shows that it was a false case,” he said, according to PTI.

BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh says, "According to the investigation by ED - Sanjay Singh used to meet Dinesh Arora & Amit Arora...They had given ₹2 crore to ₹3 crore to Sanjay Singh...AAP leader Manish Sisodia is also in jail in the liquor policy irregularities matter. His bail plea was being heard & the court will pronounce its order next week..."

Delhi court reserves order on ED's plea seeking custody of AAP leader Sanjay Singh; order to be pronounced shortly.

The Aam Aadmi party has been protesting in several parts of India after the arrest of Sanjay Singh. AAP workers staged a protest in the national capital at the Aam Aadmi Party office and demanded his release.

Several senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party including Atishi, and Reena Gupta raised slogans against the BJP and demanded the release of AAP leader Sanjay Singh.

Special CP Law and Order Dependra Pathak said, "It is a protest by the Aam Aadmi Party. The crowd is gathering gradually. Police are present here to maintain the law and order professionally. We are in communication with the organisers. We will make sure that law and order are maintained. We will try to contain the protestors."

ANI

Sanjay Singh's lawyer opposed the remand plea of ED said, that demanding 10 days is an absurd position for someone who is not involved in the matter at all.

ANI

Sr Adv Mohit Mathur appearing for Sanjay Singh says, ... investigation in this case is ongoing and will never end. Dinesh Arora, who is a star witness, was made accused earlier by both agencies and later he turned approver in the case."

Seeking a 10-day remand of Sanjay Singh, the ED told Delhi's Rouse Avenue court that they needed to extract digital data and interrogate him further with other persons. “A total of 239 places have been searched so far,” the probe agency added.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sought for a 10-day remand of AAP MP Sanjay Singh in connection with the alleged liquor case.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh says his arrest is “Modiji's injustice and he will lose election”.