Delhi High Court rejects Sanjay Singh’s bail plea in money laundering case

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to grant bail to AAP leader Sanjay Singh, who was arrested in a money laundering case related to Delhi’s excise policy “scam”.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma rejected the bail application of Singh, who has been re-elected to the Rajya Sabha from Delhi, but directed the trial court to expedite the trial once it begins.

“There is no reason at this stage to grant bail to the accused,” Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said while pronouncing the order.

The judge noted that Singh was entitled to a fair trial, adding, “This court directs the trial court to expedite the proceedings once this case is commenced.”

While delivering sentence, Justice Sharma claimed that the issue of admissibility of the statement of the approver, Dinesh Arora, could not be tested at this stage of bail but would be tested at trial.

The court said relief could not be granted at this stage in view of the “material” against Singh, including the statements of approvers and witnesses.

Singh, who was arrested by the ED on October 4, 2023, sought bail on the grounds that he had been detained for more than three months and that he had not been found to have played any role in the predicate offence.

The investigating agency opposed the bail plea and held that Singh was involved in obtaining, possessing, concealing, dispersing and using the proceeds of crime arising out of the Delhi liquor scam in connection with the policy period 2021-22.

The ED said that Singh was a key co-conspirator in the scam and obtained proceeds of crime of Rs 2 crore. He and businessmen Dinesh Arora and Ami, who are accused or suspected in the case Amit Arora is very close.

The agency further alleged that the AAP leader received illegal money or kickbacks which were proceeds of crime in the Liquor Policy (2021-22) scam and that he also conspired with others.

The trial court, while denying him bail, noted that he was associated with “proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 2 crore” and that the case against him was “genuine”.

The case relates to alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the excise tax policy for 2021-22 by the municipal government, which was later repealed.

On the advice of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR in connection with the alleged corruption.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)