AAP MP Sanjay Singh arrested by ED in money laundering case

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of Parliament, Sanjay Singh, was arrested on October 4  by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This arrest follows extensive searches conducted by the central agency at Singh's residence, all part of an ongoing money laundering investigation related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy for the year 2021-22.

The ED has alleged that Singh, taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, played a pivotal role in the formulation and execution of the now-discarded policy. This policy is said to have favored specific liquor manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers.

Earlier this year, the ED had filed charges against former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, revealing that a restaurateur named Dinesh Arora had close ties with both Singh and Sisodia.

Arora himself was arrested by the ED in July, with the agency claiming that he played a critical role in the case. According to the ED, in 2020, Arora received a call from AAP MP Sanjay Singh, indicating that the Delhi Assembly elections were approaching, and the party required funds.

The ED's searches at Singh's residence had sparked controversy earlier in the day, with the Aam Aadmi Party expressing discontent. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal voiced his opinion, stating, "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) named Arvind Kejriwal as the alleged 'kingpin' in 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. The accused Dinesh Arora, who is a businessman, has accepted that at Delhi CM's residence, the meeting was held."

"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," he added.