SC seeks Centre, ED's responses on Sanjay Singh's plea
The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the central government and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh's plea against his arrest. A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti directed them to reply by December 11. The Rajya Sabha MP from the AAP was arrested in connection to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam case. Singh sought the SC's intervention after the Delhi High Court declined to intervene in his arrest.
Why does this story matter?
The ED and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are separately probing the alleged scam. They claim the AAP benefitted from the now-scrapped 2021-22 excise policy. The Delhi government introduced the policy in November 2021. Under it, the government withdrew from the alcohol trade, permitting only private operators to run liquor stores. However, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena ordered an investigation into the policy, claiming irregularities. Two senior AAP leaders—ex-Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Singh—have been arrested so far.
Delhi HC refuses to intervene in Singh's arrest
The Delhi HC on October 20 refused intervention in Singh's arrest, stating it could not attribute a political motive to a leading investigative agency without any supporting evidence. The ED has accused the AAP leader of being significantly involved in creating and executing the contentious liquor policy. The CBI and ED claim that there were irregularities in the amendment of the now-defunct policy and that certain liquor trade license holders received unwarranted benefits.
Singh in ED's custody till November 24
Earlier this month, Singh's judicial was extended till Friday (November 24) by Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court. He was arrested on October 4 over alleged money laundering in the case. Singh is the second senior AAP leader, after Sisodia, to be arrested in the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam case. He has previously appealed for his release, demanding the ED to specify the reason behind his arrest.
Alleged conspiracy against Kejriwal
On November 10, Singh also claimed a "big conspiracy to trap" Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was being concocted, indirectly targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre, which has been accused of missing central agencies. A video shared online by the AAP showed Singh cautioning, "Not just arrest, they are planning a big move against Kejriwal." Notably, several leaders, including Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari and spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, earlier speculated that Kejriwal's arrest in the case was "imminent."
