The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to grant bail to former AAP MP Sanjay Singh, who was arrested in connection with a money laundering scam.
The order was passed by the single-judge Bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.
Rejecting the bail petition of the former Rajya Sabha member, the High Court directed the trial court to expedite the trial.
It said no ground for grant of bail was made out, adding that no unnecessary adjournment should be sought by either side.
Earlier on December 23, 2033, the Enforcement Directorate had lodged a 250-page charge sheet against Singh in connection with the money laundering case.
The 250-page charge sheet, with 60-page operative part, included MP Sanjay Singh and his close aide Sarvesh Mishra’s name. It alleged that Mishra had received Rs 2 crore from liquor companies. This was the fifth supplementary charge sheet in the case.
The national agency had arrested him on October 4 under the Prevention Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Singh was also named as the key conspirator in the Excise Policy case and had allegedly taken Rs 2 crore bribe from accused turned approver Dinesh Arora.
Followinh Singh’s arrest, the ED in its statement said that he was the key conspirator in the Delhi liquor scam. It added that Singh was closely associated with a number of accused and suspects, including (businessmen) Dinesh Arora and Amit Arora. It further alleged that the AAP MP had exploited and gained illegal money as proceeds of crime generated from the liquor policy (2021-22) scam. The agency further accused Singh of playing a role in conspiracy with others with respect to the excise policy 2020-21.
The Delhi Excise Policy 2020-21, introduced by the Aam Aadmi Party, saw the exit of the government from alcohol retail business.
Under the aegis of this policy, more than 800 private liquor shops were opened across Delhi. Later, LG VK Saxena recommended a CBI investigation alleging exchange of bribes in return for awarding liquor licenses.