Delhi Excise Case: Court extends custody of AAP MP Sanjay Singh till Nov 10

A Delhi court on Friday extended till November 10 the judicial custody of AAP leader Sanjay Singh, arrested in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise scam. Special Judge M K Nagpal also allowed Singh to sign certain cheques for his family expenses as well as his work as a Member of Parliament. The judge also directed the jail authorities concerned to ensure proper treatment to Singh, including by his private doctor. "Court sees no reason to refuse the private treatment to the accused... Hence, the jail superintendent concerned is directed to ensure the appropriate treatment," the judge said. He further directed that the counsel for the accused ensure that no supporter of Singh and others gathered at the medical centre during his visit.

The Delhi High Court on October 20 refused to interfere with the "malicious" arrest of AAP leader Sanjay Singh by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case related to the now-scrapped excise policy of the city government, saying it cannot impute political motive to a "premier" investigating agency in the absence of material on record. It also said Singh's was not a "prima facie case of no evidence at all". Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma dismissed the AAP parliamentarian's petition challenging his arrest as well as remand in ED custody and said the reputation of premier investigating agency has a direct relation to the reputation of the country being a fair entity. The court stated that deciding whether a case is politically motivated essentially involves deciding whether an investigating agency was under the control of a political party, and it cannot decide the same without any material on record. He further directed that the counsel for the accused to ensure that no supporter of Singh and others gather at the medial centre during his visit. The ED's money laundering case stems from the CBI FIR. It is alleged that Singh played a key role in the formulation and implementation of the policy, which benefited certain liquor manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, for monetary considerations.