Excise policy ‘scam’: AAP MP Sanjay Singh sent to 14-day judicial custody, warned against giving political speeches in court

Singh further called the ED an “entertainment department” alleging that in his eight-day custody, he was questioned for just three hours, that too on irrelevant matters. “All they asked me was why did I take money from my mother, why I sent Rs 10,000 to my wife’s account. It has become entertainment department, lies after lies,” Singh told the court.

Sanjay Singh had also moved an application requesting the court to allow certain medicines and books to him in custody. Among the 16 books requested by Singh were ‘My Experiments with Truth’ by MK Gandhi, ‘Why I’m an Atheist’ by Bhagat Singh, and books authored by Gail Omvedt and Ram Manohar Lohia. Judge Nagpal allowed this application.

The court had earlier extended Singh’s ED custody in the case till October 13, noting that the agency had discovered some fresh facts during their investigation.

Singh was last Thursday sent to five-day ED custody following 10 hours of searches which ended in his arrest after the agency claimed that Rs 2 crore changed hands at his North Avenue residence. Singh’s arrest came after he was named by businessman and co-accused Dinesh Arora, who turned approver in the ED case.

The agency, in its remand application, had called Singh a “key conspirator”. “Sanjay Singh has exploited and gained illegal money/kickbacks, which is ‘Proceeds of Crime’ generated from the liquor policy (2021-22) scam… (he) has been part of the conspiracy of collecting kickbacks from liquor groups… (he) has a close relationship with Dinesh Arora since 2017 as revealed by Dinesh Arora as well as from his call records,” the ED application stated.

The agency further claimed in its earlier remand application that its investigation revealed Singh assured changes in the liquor policy were made through former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia to favour certain businessmen.