The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) not opposing the same. Singh was arrested by the agency in connection with the investigation of the Delhi liquor policy scam case.
After the ED said it did not have any objection to granting relief to Singh, a bench presided over by Justice Sanjiv Khanna granted bail to Singh. The bench also comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and P B Varale clarified that it had not said anything on the merits of the case.
The panel had asked S V Raju, Additional Solicitor General, hearing Singh’s bail plea earlier in the day, who appeared for the agency about its stand if further detention of Singh who was arrested on October 4, 2023, is required.
“Without going into merits, I will concede the bail matter in the peculiar facts,” returning to the court in the post-lunch session, the law officer submitted.
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Statement of the AAP leader’s advocate
Sanjay Singh who was represented by senior advocate A M Singhvi said the case raises important questions about the power to arrest and the need for arrest in cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Except for the statements of approver which can always be improved, the senior counsel submitted that there was nothing against Singh. Seeking the court’s intervention, he submitted that there was a clear violation of Section 19 of PMLA. Singh also was not a flight risk or egregious threat to be denied bail, he contended.
Singh was not named initially in the case, said Singhvi. He said that the only allegation on grounds of arrest and remand is of Rs 1 crore handed over two times by accused-turned-approver Dinesh Arora, a businessman. There is no corroboration by any eyewitness apart from someone turning approver.
The bench then pointed to the fact that Singh had been in custody for almost six months now and asked the Additional Solicitor General to take instructions if his continued detention was necessary.
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