Last Updated: October 04, 2023, 19:29 IST
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, in Delhi on October 4. (Image: PTI)
Sanjay Singh was arrested after the ED conducted searches at his premises in Delhi. He becomes the second high-profile AAP leader to be held in this case after Manish Sisodia
AAP MP Sanjay Singh was on Wednesday arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. Reacting to the ED’s action against the 51-year-old Aam Aadmi Party leader, his family said that the probe agency officials “failed” to find anything during the 10-hour-long searches and called the case “fake”.
When asked by the media about the arrest of his son, Dinesh Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI, “We have said we will cooperate. I told him (Sanjay Singh) not to worry. I think they didn’t find any base to arrest him but since they (ED officials) were told to arrest, they arrested him. It will bring positive results as the government will be changed.”
#WATCH | Delhi: On the arrest of AAP MP Sanjay Singh, his father says, “We’ve said we will cooperate. I told him (Sanjay Singh) not to worry. I think they didn’t find any base to arrest him but since they (ED officials) were told to arrest, they arrested him. It will bring… pic.twitter.com/NQN9Jigcb2— ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2023
Reacting on the same, his wife said, “They questioned and searched the house, computer, and documents but did not find anything. There was pressure upon them (ED officials) to arrest him and they arrested him. They (ED) did not give us any reason. We all are with him. He has been arrested in a fake case.”
#WATCH | Delhi: On the arrest of AAP MP Sanjay Singh, his wife says, “They questioned and searched the house, computer, and documents but did not find anything. There was pressure upon them (ED officials) to arrest him and they arrested him. They (ED) did not give us any reason.… pic.twitter.com/HH6a0QP3P1— ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2023
Singh was arrested in the evening after the anti-money laundering agency conducted searches at his premises. He becomes the second high-profile AAP leader to be arrested in this case after former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.
The AAP has alleged the ED “targeted” Singh as he raised issues related to the Adani group in Parliament. The ED had mentioned Singh’s name in its charge sheet. It stated that Dinesh Arora, a middleman, had said he had met Singh during a party in his restaurant Unplugged Courtyard. In 2020, it said, Singh allegedly requested him to ask restaurant-owners to generate funds for the Aam Aadmi Party for the Delhi assembly elections. He said he gave a cheque of Rs 82 lakh. According to the charge sheet, Dinesh Arora said in his statement that another accused — Amit Arora — wanted help in shifting his liquor shop from Okhla to Pitampura. It was alleged that he managed to do this through Singh who told Sisodia after which the matter was resolved by the Excise Department.
Dinesh Arora also said he met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal once at his residence with Singh while he had spoken to Sisodia five-six times, the charge sheet stated.
Earlier in the day as the agency conducted the searches, AAP spokesperson Reena Gupta said, “Sanjay Singh kept on raising questions on the issue of Adani and this is why the raids are being conducted at his residence. The Central agencies found nothing earlier and won’t find anything today either. First, they conducted raids at the residence of some journalists yesterday and today, raids conducted at Sanjay Singh’s residence.”
(with inputs from PTI)
