Sanjay Singh secures bail in Delhi liquor policy case after ED’s no-objection

The no-objection from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) paved the way for Rajya Sabha MP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, Sanjay Singh to obtain bail from the Supreme Court in the Delhi excise policy case six months after his arrest.

Sanjay Singh was the third AAP leader to be arrested in connection with the Delhi excise policy on October 4, 2023, following the detention of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and the party's communications in-charge, Vijay Nair.

The case has also ensnared Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently held at Tihar jail after being arrested by the ED on March 21 and remanded to judicial custody until April 15.

During the hearing, the bench comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Dipankar Datta, and Justice P B Varale considered the ED's stance on Singh's custody. The ED, represented by Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, indicated no opposition to Singh's bail plea, citing proceedings related to a specific Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case.

The court granted bail to Singh for the duration of the trial, directing the trial court to establish the terms and conditions.

Prior to this development, the ED had alleged that businessman Dinesh Arora, an accused in the case turned approver, had purportedly provided Singh with Rs 2 crore in cash. Additionally, the agency claimed that Singh had orchestrated alterations to the liquor policy through Sisodia, favouring certain businessmen.

Despite being incarcerated, Singh was permitted to take his oath as a Rajya Sabha MP on March 19, underscoring the ongoing political ramifications of the case.