New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate knocked at the residence of another senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh on Wednesday. The investigating agency had raided the AAP leader’s residence on Wednesday 4 October. The ED had earlier questioned staff members and people associated with the 51-year-old Rajya Sabha MP.
The ED has not named Singh in any of the five chargesheets filed so far in connection with the money laundering probe into irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy Scam case 2021-22.
ED’s Delhi Excise Policy probe has kept former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in jail since February 26 this year.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh is on the ED radar after the chargesheet filed against Manish Sisodia mentioned that restaurant owner Dinesh Arora was “very close” to both Singh and Sisodia.
Dinesh Arora is an accused who turned approver for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Arora was arrested in July by the ED saying he was a key figure in the Delhi Excise Policy scam.
ED claim against Sanjay Singh
ED has claimed that Dinesh Arora had met Sanjay Singh, through whom he was introduced to Manish Sisodia. The meeting took place at Arora’s restaurant Unplugged Courtyard.
The ED also cited a call which they claimed was made between Sanjay Singh and Dinesh Arora. In the call, AAP MP Singh reportedly said, “Delhi Assembly elections are coming and AAP needs funds and they should seek funding from other restaurant owners for this.”
The ED charge sheet said, “On Singh’s request, he spoke to several restaurant owners and arranged for a check of Rs 82 lakh (handed over to Sisodia) to collect party funds for the upcoming assembly elections in Delhi. “
The ED has also claimed that another businessman Amit Arora had met AAP MP Singh through Dinesh Arora in 2020
The brands sold by Amit Arora’s business were relatively high-end and best-selling brands in other states, but the government-controlled retail stores in Delhi were not performing very well. According to the report of Hindustan Times, Amit Arora wanted to get a better place in the liquor business of Delhi by inserting a clause in the new policy.
ED claims that “Sisodia, at the behest of Amit Arora and Dinesh Arora, had assured to make changes in the then proposed 2020-21 excise policy to increase the brand registration criteria for IMFL brands.”
In return, ED said, as Sanjay Singh’s associate and team member, Vivek Tyagi was given a stake in the business of Aralias Hospitality run by Amit Arora.
According to the ED, allowing Singh’s associate a stake in Amit Arora’s company in exchange for a change in the excise policy was an “exchange between Amit Arora, Dinesh Arora and Sanjay Singh and Sisodia”.
Notably, the policy change in Delhi Excise Policy was never implemented and the old policy of 2019-20 was extended.
What is Delhi Excise Policy Scam Case?
ED and CBI allege that the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22 for granting licenses to liquor traders allowed cartelization and favored some dealers who allegedly paid bribes for it, an allegation by AAP vehemently denied.
The policy was later repealed and the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi recommended a CBI probe, following which the ED registered a case under PMLA.