Delhi HC denies bail to AAP MP Sanjay Singh in excise policy case

Delhi High Court denies bail to AAP MP Sanjay Singh in Delhi excise policy case. HC however directed the trial court to expedite the trial process.

The Delhi High Court on February 7 denied bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh in a money laundering case related to the excise policy scam. The HC has however directed the trial court to expedite the trial proceedings.

While denying Sanjay Singh's bail, the court said: "No ground for grant of bail is made out. We direct the trial court to expedite the trial. No unnecessary adjournment be sought by either side."

The AAP Rajya Sabha MP had sought bail on the ground that he has been in custody for the last three months and no role has been attributed to him in the predicate offence. The probe agency opposed the bail plea contending that Singh was involved in acquiring, possessing, concealing, dissipating and using proceeds of the crime generated from the liquor scam.

In December 2023, a Delhi court had rejected Singh's bail application too. During the arguments at the trial court, Singh had argued there were contradictions in the statements of accused-turned-approver Dinesh Arora and other witnesses about bribing him. The Enforcement Directorate had opposed Singh's application stating the probe was still underway and, if released on bail, he could hamper the investigation, tamper with evidence, and influence the witnesses.

The ED had arrested Singh on October 4. The agency alleged that the AAP leader played a key role in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped 2021-2022 excise policy, which benefited certain liquor manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers, for monetary considerations. Following a recommendation from Lt Governor VK Saxena, the CBI had registered an FIR over the alleged corruption, which was rejected by Singh.