The Supreme Court of India has issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate and the Centre following a plea from AAP leader Sanjay Singh. A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti have now kept the matter for the second week of December. The development also came weeks after the Delhi High Court rejected the Rajya Sabha MP's plea challenging his remand and arrest in the excise policy scam case.
The apex court has also kept it open for the petitioner to file for regular bail – making it clear that this would be considered on its own merits in accordance with law.
Singh was arrested in early October following nine hours of questioning at his Delhi home. The ED claims that the senior AAP leader is linked to its money laundering probe into the Delhi liquor policy. Searches had also been conducted at the homes and offices of his close associate Ajit Tyagi and other contractors and businessmen who allegedly benefited from the policy.
The Delhi liquor scam case or the excise policy case pertains to allegations that the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge that has been strongly refuted by the AAP. The ED's money laundering case stems from a CBI FIR.
Kejriwal had also skipped an ED summon for questioning earlier this month. He also wrote to the agency demanding the withdrawal of the notice, claiming it was “illegal and politically motivated”. Following the development, party leaders have repeatedly insisted that the CM may soon be arrested.
“There is one person -- Manish Sisodia -- who brought an education revolution in the country but he is in jail. Satyendar Jain, who brought a health revolution, is out on interim bail. Four of our leaders are in jail today. They are an inspiration. Don't be scared of going to jail. If Sanjay Singh and Manish Sisodia leave the AAP today, they will be out of jail within 24 hours,” he had said last week.
(With inputs from agencies)
Catch all the Business News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
MoreLess