Delhi Excise Scam: ED arrests AAP MP Sanjay Singh in money laundering case

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday in connection with Delhi excise scam.

The ED arrived at Singh's Delhi residence and began its searches in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.

Earlier this May, Singh in a letter to Finance Secretary T V Somanathan said that the ED Director and Assistant Director deliberately linked his name to the alleged liquor scam without any basis, tarnishing his public image and defaming him.


Singh mentioned that his name was added on the basis of statements from Delhi-based businessman and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's close aide Dinesh Arora.

Singh also alleged that the officers misused their position tarnished his public image and demanded prosecution against them. He said he already sent a legal notice to the officers to issue an open and public apology.

According to ED sources, the name of the AAP leader appears four times in the ED charge sheet out of which one reference was wrong and typed inadvertently.

At one place Sanjay Singh's name was mentioned instead of Rahul Singh who was then excise commissioner.

The arrest of AAP leader Singh has drawn criticism from the opposition.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called the arrest of senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh "completely illegal" and claimed that more opposition leaders will be arrested in the run-up to the 2024 parliamentary elections.

"The arrest of Sanjay Singh is completely illegal. This shows (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji's nervousness. They will arrest many more opposition leaders until the elections," said Kejriwal.

"Today, Sanjay Singh has been arrested without any evidence or concrete reason. It proves that the PM knows that he is losing the elections. There is desperation and fear of loss out of which the Central Government is making central agencies do such things..." said Delhi Minister and party's MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj.

(With inputs from agencies)