Delhi Court Issues Notice To ED On Sanjay Singh’s Petition In Delhi Liquor Scam Case

The Rouse Avenue Court has issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and sought a reply on a petition filed by Sanjay Singh, the Rajya Sabha MP from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and an alleged accused in the Delhi liquor scam case. The court has scheduled the next hearing for February 4.

Delhi Court Issues Notice

Sanjay Singh has requested a revision in the bail conditions imposed on him and has demanded the release of his passport.

The court had previously granted him bail but placed restrictions on his movement. While granting bail, the court prohibited Singh from leaving the Delhi NCR region. It also instructed him to inform the investigating agency when he plans to travel outside Delhi and share his live location.

ED Raises No Objection To Bail

The ED did not raise any objections to the grant of bail for Sanjay Singh. However, the court added that Singh could engage in political activities after his release, but he was prohibited from making any public statements related to the case.

Additionally, the court made it clear that the bail order would not set any legal precedent for future cases.

Legal Arguments In Court

During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Sanjay Singh, argued that the ED’s main witness, Dinesh Arora, had not mentioned Singh’s name in any of his nine earlier statements.

Singhvi pointed out that Sanjay Singh was arrested after a year and a half, and that the approval given for his arrest on July 19, 2023, was not reliable.

He emphasized that Dinesh Arora’s testimony was inconsistent, as Singh’s name appeared for the first time in Arora’s statement after the approval was given. Furthermore, Singhvi highlighted that even in the 164 statement, Singh’s name was not mentioned.

Sanjay Singh’s Arrest And Bail

Sanjay Singh was arrested by the ED on October 13, 2023, after a lengthy interrogation. Six months later, Singh was granted bail by the Supreme Court. His bail conditions include the surrender of his passport and restrictions on his movement, but he is allowed to continue his political activities.

In the ongoing case, the court granted exemption from personal appearance to two other prominent accused individuals: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

Both leaders had requested the exemption, citing the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Meanwhile, other accused in the case, including Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, BRS leader K Kavita, and others, appeared in court via video conferencing.

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