‘Sanjay Singh sher hai, PM can’t scare us’: CM Kejriwal, cabinet colleagues protest MP’s arrest in excise policy case

He was accompanied by his wife, Sunita. Kejriwal added that the AAP will move court against the arrest. He also sharpened his attack on PM Modi and said, “He tried very hard to defame us in the public… inhone mere pichle saat janam chhan maare par inhe kuch nahi mila… they have been singing a new song on the excise liquor scam for the last one year…”

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal addresses media after meeting Singh’s family. (Tashi Tobgyal/PTI )

He said in the last year, the ED carried out over 1,000 raids and arrested several people but could not recover a penny. “Sanjay Singh has been vocal and fearlessly raised his voice against Modi ji,” said Kejriwal.

Kejriwal also said the BJP has been scared ever since the formation of the INDIA alliance ahead of Lok Sabha polls next year.

Security was stepped up outside Singh’s house as AAP workers and his supporters staged a protest. Before leaving, Singh touched his mother and father’s feet and asked his wife to be strong.

Security personnel outside Singh’s house (Tashi Tobgyal/PTI)

His wife Anita Singh said, “Bahadur pati ki patni ho darna nahi, he told me before leaving… they searched every corner of the house, files, computer and found nothing. They just arrested him because he raised the Adani scam matter.”

His father, Dinesh Singh, said: “ED officials came around 6-6.30 am. I was sleeping, Sanjay woke me up and told me about it. They asked me to show my Aadhaar card, account number, and other documents… I told Sanjay, ‘You are a son of brave of father, don’t worry…nothing happens to honest people’.”

Ministers Atishi, Gopal Rai, Imran Husain and senior party MLAs Dilip Pandey, Durgesh Pathak, Akhilesh Pati Tripathi and former party leader Ashutosh also visited Singh’s home. AAP Delhi convenor Gopal Rai announced that the AAP would stage a massive protest outside the BJP headquarters Thursday.

Opposition hits out

Singh’s arrest, meanwhile, intensified the political conflict between  BJP and opposition parties. While the Congress did not officially react, its leader Abhishek Singhvi told The Indian Express: “The need of the hour is for unity and resolute determination to fight this continuous illegal misuse of agencies.”

While Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said the BJP is troubling regional parties, senior TMC leader Derek O’Brien said the “ED is not functional in BJP-ruled states.”

“Yesterday, journalists were targeted and today Sanjay Singh was arrested. BJP is troubling regional parties which are doing good work. If you speak the truth, speak against the present government, ask questions, raise the voice of people… there will be attempts to crush you… stifle your voice and tarnish your image,” Yadav said.

RJD MP Manoj Jha also met Singh’s family. Hugging his father, Jha said, “Sanjay Singh’s arrest was not just an arrest, it was the arrest of freedom of thought and speech. They are showing that if you speak against Adani, they will knock on your door.”

“Look at the background. The report of the Bihar caste survey has come… PM is rattled,” he added.

Condemning Singh’s arrest, senior JD(U) leader K C Tyagi said investigating agencies are being misused at the instance of the government.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also hit out at the BJP, saying the ruling party seems to be on a spree to arrest opposition leaders ahead of next year’s elections and accused it of destroying the level playing field.

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, “The ED under Modi routinely arrests political opponents on grounds of ‘non-cooperation’ for not accepting their fabricated statements. For the sake of ‘India that is Bharat’ Modi govt must go.”

NCP leader Supriya Sule alleged that an “invisible hand” is exploiting central agencies.