In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated search operations at the residence of Rajya Sabha MP from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Mr. Sanjay Singh, early Wednesday morning. The raid is part of an ongoing money laundering investigation linked to the erstwhile liquor policy of the Delhi government.
At approximately 7 am, a team of ED officials descended upon Mr. Singh’s residence, situated in the New Delhi district, to commence their thorough search.
Mr. Sanjay Singh’s name had surfaced in the ED’s prosecution complaint, which was filed in December of the preceding year. The complaint included statements from businessman Dinesh Arora, who indicated that he had initially encountered AAP leader Sanjay Singh. Subsequently, Arora claimed to have met Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia through Mr. Singh during a gathering at a restaurant. Notably, the ED’s allegations suggest that, upon Mr. Singh’s request, Arora arranged checks amounting to a substantial sum of Rs 82 lakh for the purpose of collecting party funds for the upcoming assembly elections in Delhi. The complaint further alludes to Arora’s multiple interactions with Sisodia and a meeting with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at his residence, with Mr. Sanjay Singh in attendance.
The ED initiated its case in September of the previous year, following a First Information Report (FIR) lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in August. The CBI’s FIR named Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, three officials from the excise department, and several vendors and distributors among the accused, with a total of 15 individuals implicated.
The CBI FIR explicitly stated that “Praveen Kumar Rai, Director, MHA… has conveyed directions of the competent authority for an inquiry into the matter of irregularities in framing and implementation of the excise policy of GNCTD of Delhi for the year 2021-22 by the Central Bureau of Investigation. He has also forwarded a letter of L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena alleging irregularities in framing and implementation of the excise policy.”
In May of the current year, the ED had executed search operations at the residences of close associates of Mr. Singh. At that time, Mr. Singh voiced his concerns, alleging that the ED had conducted raids on the homes of two of his associates, Ajit Tyagi and Sarvesh Mishra, in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. He had also pointed out that Sarvesh’s father was suffering from cancer, thereby characterizing the raid as an ordeal.
This latest development continues to draw public attention and raises questions about the implications and consequences of the ongoing investigation.
