Sanjay Singh is the third AAP leader to be arrested by a central agency. (FILE)
New Delhi:
Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate today in connection with the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case. He is the third AAP leader to be arrested by a central agency.
Before him, Manish Sisodia was arrested earlier this year and Satyendar Jain was arrested last year.
In April, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was also questioned for nearly nine hours by the CBI in the liquor policy case. He was questioned as a witness in the case which investogators said involved corruption in framing the policy to benefit a liquor lobby. He hasn’t been summoned for further questioning since then.
Earlier in the day, the Enforcement Directorate raided Mr Singh’s home. The ED had earlier questioned members of the staff and those linked to the 51-year-old Rajya Sabha MP.
Coming out in support of his party MP, Arvind Kejriwal said that nothing will be found at his residence, adding that all agencies like the Enforcement Directorate or ED and CBI will get active as the 2024 elections are coming.
Manish Sisodia
The CBI on February 26 arrested Manish Sisodia, then the deputy chief minister of Delhi, for alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. He has been in custody since then.
Soon after, on February 28, he resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28.
Mr Sisodia held the excise portfolio among the many that he handled as the deputy chief minister.
The ED arrested him in a money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9 after questioning him in Tihar Jail.
According to the federal investigative agencies, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours were extended to licence holders.
The Delhi government implemented the policy on November 17, 2021, but scrapped it at the end of September 2022 amid allegations of corruption.
Satyendar Jain
Former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain was arrested in May last year in a money laundering case.
The ED had arrested the AAP leader on the charge of laundering money through four companies allegedly linked to him.
The case is based on a CBI complaint registered on the allegation that Satyendar Jain had acquired movable properties in the name of various persons from February 14, 2015, to May 31, 2017, which he could not satisfactorily account for.
Mr Jain is currently out on bail on medical grounds. The Supreme Court on Monday extended further interim bail granted to him till October 8.
The 59-year-old had a spinal surgery on July 21.
The Supreme Court while granting interim bail to Mr Jain on May 26, had said a citizen has a right to receive treatment of his choice.
The top court had also given Mr Jain to choose any hospital of his choice for his medical treatment.
