Delhi Excise Policy Case: ED carries out searches at AAP MP Sanjay Singh’s house

Singh’s name was mentioned in the ED’s prosecution complaint filed last year in December. The complaint mentions his name as part of the statement of businessman Dinesh Arora who, the agency claimed, told them that he initially met AAP leader Sanjay Singh, through whom he eventually met Sisodia during a party at a restaurant. “On request of Mr Singh… arranged cheques amounting to Rs 82 lakh (handed over to Mr Sisodia) for collection of party funds for upcoming assembly elections in Delhi,” it alleges. The complaint quoting Arora also states that he spoke to Sisodia “five-six times” and met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at his residence with Sanjay Singh.

#UPDATE | ED raids underway at the residence of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, in connection with excise policy case: Sources https://t.co/MgIBcKQC05

— ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2023

AAP national spokesperson Reena Gupta alleged the searches were being conducted because Singh “was continuously raising questions on the issue of PM Modi and Adani”. “This is the reason why raids are being conducted at his residence. Nothing was found earlier, nothing will be found today. Raids were conducted yesterday at the residence of some journalists and today raids are conducted at the residence of Sanjay Singh,” she told news agency ANI.

#WATCH | Delhi: On ED raids at the residence of AAP MP Sanjay Singh, National Spokesperson AAP Reena Gupta says “Since Sanjay Singh was continuously raising questions on the issue of PM Modi and Adani, this is the reason why raids are being conducted at his residence. Nothing was… pic.twitter.com/7USX2JhIhW

— ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2023

The ED case, which was registered in September last year, is based on a CBI FIR filed in August. The CBI had booked Sisodia, three excise department officials and several vendors and distributors among the 15 accused it had arraigned in its FIR

The CBI FIR had stated: “Praveen Kumar Rai, Director, MHA… has conveyed directions of the competent authority for enquiry into the matter of irregularities in framing and implementation of the excise policy of GNCTD of Delhi for the year 2021-22 by Central Bureau of Investigation. He has also forwarded a letter of L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena alleging irregularities in framing and implementation of the excise policy.”

In May this year, the ED had conducted searches of the premises of Singh’s close associates and he had alleged that ED raided the houses of two of his associates – Ajit Tyagi and Sarvesh Mishra – in relation to the Delhi excise policy case. “Sarvesh’s father is suffering from cancer. This (the raid) is torturous,” Singh had said.