A day after AAP MP Sanjay Singh was arrested by ED for his involvement in the Delhi Liquor Policy scam, A special CBI Court in Delhi has ruled that his arrest is not unwarranted or unreasonable due to evidence against him. Special judge MK Nagpal said that his custodial interrogation is required after approver Dinesh Arora said that Singh was paid Rs 2 crore in case as part of kickback.
The court said that there is nothing at this stage to show that the statements of accused-turned-approver Dinesh Arora are tainted statements. “Though the veracity of these statements will be tested during the course of trial only, but for the purposes of investigation such statements have to be believed and taken into consideration. There is also nothing on record to show at this stage that the above statements of approver Dinesh Arora are tainted statements,” the court said.
Justice Nagpal said that in view of the alleged direct nexus with activities pertaining to proceeds of crime worth ₹2 crore, Singh’s “sustained and custodial interrogation appears to be necessary.” The court said, “This bribe or kickback amount of Rs. 2 corers received by the accused is alleged to have been as a part and in furtherance of criminal conspiracy of the scheduled offences case of CBI.”
The court noted that ED has said that they had already deciphered some records and data out of the seizures made in the probe, and have issued summons to some persons including Vivek Kumar Tyagi and Sarvesh Mishra. Therefore, custodial interrogation of the accused may even be necessary for confronting him with these persons, the court said.
The court remanded Sanjay Singh to ED custody for 5 days for “detailed and sustained interrogation and confrontations”, where he will face oral and documentary evidence presented by the probe agency.
The court however said that the interrogation of Singh should take place in a place with CCTV coverage. The Special Court allowed the arrested AAP MP to meet his three lawyers for half an hour daily till October 10 between 6pm to 7pm during custody. He is also allowed to meet his wife and father every day for half an hour during the same period.
Special judge MK Nagpal ordered that Sanjay Singh’s blood pressure will be measured twice daily and his sugar level will be checked once every day during his custody. He is allowed to take medicines as per medical prescription.
Sanjay Singh will be presented before the court on 10 October at 2 PM, after his 5-day custody is over. Seeking a 10-day custody, the ED had said that it needs to interrogate Singh with persons after extracting digital data.
Sanjay Singh is the third key leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after Satyendra Jain and Manish Sisodia to be arrested in the liquor policy case.
