New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday following extensive searches at his Delhi residence. This arrest comes in connection with the ED’s money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding the Delhi excise policy for the year 2021-22.
A Warm Welcome Amidst Controversy
Notably, Sanjay Singh had reportedly put up a welcoming banner for the ED team at his residence, a move that raised eyebrows amid the ongoing controversy.
Allegations of Policy Manipulation
The investigative agency has alleged that Singh, who was apprehended under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, played a pivotal role in the formulation and execution of the now-discarded policy, which reportedly favored specific liquor manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers.
In a related development, an ED chargesheet filed earlier this year against the former deputy chief minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, revealed that a restaurateur named Dinesh Arora had close ties with both Singh and Sisodia. Arora was subsequently arrested by the ED in July. The agency claimed that in 2020, Arora received a call from the AAP MP indicating the need for funds in light of the impending Delhi assembly elections.
AAP’s Response and BJP’s Allegations
The ED’s searches at Singh’s residence had drawn criticism from the AAP, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressing skepticism about the probe’s findings. Kejriwal remarked, “They have been probing the alleged liquor scam for the last year but nothing has been found yet. Nothing will be found at Sanjay Singh’s residence. When someone is staring at defeat, they resort to desperate measures. That is what is happening right now.”
In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pointed fingers at Kejriwal, labeling him the “kingpin” of the case. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia asserted, “The public of the nation and Delhi has understood that if there’s a kingpin in the Liquor scam, it is Arvind Kejriwal on whose indications the Liquor scam in Delhi took place.” Bhatia cited alleged statements from Arora about meetings at the Delhi CM’s residence and a financial transaction involving Singh.
He added, “On the indication of Arvind Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh said to ‘give ₹32 lakhs to the ‘Paapi AAP Arajak Apradh Party’. An MP does ‘vasooli’ sitting at the CM’s residence. The 32 lakh money was given through a cheque. There could be crores of rupees, and it has come across during the investigation.”
