The family and friends of AAP leader Sanjay Singh have called the latter's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money-laundering case linked to the Delhi liquor policy case "unconstitutional" and "undemocratic". Singh's father Dinesh Singh, in a scathing attack on the ruling BJP, said the agency did what their "masters told them". Without naming BJP, he said those in power were in despair and were aware of their forthcoming defeat (in elections).
"They (ED) did what their masters told them. They did not find anything at my residence. When you don't find anything, the search takes time. They did not find anything so it took time," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
He expressed hope that Singh would be released unscathed.
"Those in power are in despair as they are aware of their defeat. I have complete faith that Sanjay Singh will be released without any blot," Dinesh Singh told PTI.
Also read: Sanjay’s Singh arrest in Delhi excise policy case sparks political firestorm
Raghu Thakur, Singh's friend and political mentor, said the latter won't be intimidated ED's move.
"This is undemocratic and unconstitutional. The kind of accusations levelled against Sanjay Singh is not possible as I know him for the past several years. He is not going to be intimidated by such things," he told PTI.
{{/usCountry}}"This is undemocratic and unconstitutional. The kind of accusations levelled against Sanjay Singh is not possible as I know him for the past several years. He is not going to be intimidated by such things," he told PTI.
{{/usCountry}}Singh's wife said on Wednesday that there was pressure on the Enforcement Directorate to arrest him.
"They questioned and searched the house, computer, and documents but did not find anything. There was pressure on them (ED officials) to arrest him and they arrested him. They (ED) did not give us any reason," she said.
Singh was arrested by the central agency after searching his house for hours in the national capital. The agency has accused Singh and other AAP leaders of providing undue benefits to liquor dealers at the expense of the public exchequer in lieu of bribes.
In February, AAP leader Manish Sisodia was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on similar charges. He has been unsuccessfully contesting in courts in order to secure his release on bail.
Meanwhile, the BJP defended action against Singh and called him the "don of corruption".
Also read: AAP MP Sanjay Singh arrested by ED after searches at Delhi home in excise policy case
"When a don of corruption is caught, incriminating documents are seized from his home... Which are stored in mobile phones and laptops... As far as the incriminating documents are concerned that have been procured from the house of Sanjay Singh... These documents will point to a person that is very big in the AAP chain," Sambit Patra said on Thursday.
"One of the businessmen arrested was Dinesh Arora. He said that he would become an approver. As an approver, he revealed that in 2020, Sanjay Singh met him. Dinesh Arora runs restaurants in Delhi. Sanjay Singh told him that elections were approaching and he needed to gather money. Singh also introduced Dinesh Arora to Manish Sisodia. Arora gave lakhs of rupees as quid pro quo. He demanded that some of his issues stuck with the Excise Department be cleared," he claimed.
With inputs from PTI, ANI