On 21st March 2024, Chief Minister of Delhi and Aam Aadmi Party’s supremo Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection to the Delhi Excise Policy Scam. Since then, Kejriwal remained in ED custody until 1st April and was sent to judicial custody until 15th April. Notably, polling for Lok Sabha Elections 2024 is set to commence on 16th April 2024. Kejriwal will stay in custody at least one day before the polling date. Kejriwal is the latest name in the long list of AAP leaders who were either arrested or went to jail for one or the other reason. Here is the list of AAP leaders who are currently in jail or went to prison at some point since AAP came into existence a decade ago.
Manish Sisodia
One of the top AAP leaders and former deputy Chief Minister of Delhi and one of the founding members of AAP, Manish Sisodia, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection to the Delhi Excise Policy Scam in February 2023. Since then, Sisodia has been jailed and denied bail by the courts. When Sisodia was arrested, AAP called it a black day. While Sisodia was made to resign from his post, Kejriwal remains adamant about running the government from Tihar Jail. Sisodia is also lodged in Tihar and is awaiting trial in the case.
Satyendar Jain
Satyendar Jain was one of the key ministers of the Delhi government. In May 2022, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection to a money laundering case. The court recently denied bail by the Supreme Court of India, stating prima facia he was involved in money laundering activities. Since his arrest, Satyendar Jain remained in Tihar for a long time. CCTV footage of his cell in the jail went viral on social media, where he was seen taking massages by a prison inmate. He claimed it was not massage but therapy, which was part of his treatment. He was released on bail for medical treatment, but on 18th March, the court denied extending his bail and asked him to surrender. He is currently lodged in Tihar.
Amanatullah Khan
AAP MLA from Okhla and prominent Muslim face of the party, Amanatullah Khan, was arrested and sent to jail for a brief period in a case related to illegal recruitment and financial misappropriation as the chairman of Delhi Waqf Board. He is currently out on bail. He was also accused of sexually assaulting, raping and killing a woman.
Somnath Bharti
Another prominent AAP leader, Somnath Bharti, was arrested in September 2015 in connection to a domestic abuse case. As per the complaint filed by his wife, Bharti assaulted her on multiple occasions. A non-bailable warrant was issued in his name, and he surrendered at the Dwarka Police Station in September 2015. Later, in 2019, the Delhi High Court quashed the FIR against him and the proceedings were dropped against him in a domestic violence case. In another case in March 2021, he was sentenced to two years in prison for leading a mob that tried to break the boundary wall of AAIMS and pelted stones. Delhi High Court stayed his conviction, and he is currently on bail. The matter is sub judice.
Vijay Singla
Former AAP Minister in Punjab, Vijay Singla, was removed from the cabinet by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in May 2022. Singla was accused of corruption and arrested by Punjab Police. The matter is sub judice.
Tahir Hussain
Former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain is one of the main accused in the anti-Hindu Delhi Riots of 2020. He was charged in the murder case of IB officer Ankit Sharma. His name appeared in multiple FIRs and was booked under UAPA. During the Delhi Riots, Hussain allegedly led the mob of Muslims to attack Hindus. He tried to pose as a victim and posted fake videos claiming he was stuck at his residence and under attack. Later, during the investigation, police recovered stones, glass bottles, and other incriminating material from the rooftop of his residence. Islamists, left-liberals and propagandists sided with Tahir Hussain and claimed he was innocent, but later, the facts made it clear that he was directly involved in the riots. He is currently lodged in Tihar.
Sanjay Singh
ED arrested one of prominent AAP leaders and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh in October 2023 concerning the Delhi Excise Policy Scam. Initially, ED raided his house. Later, YSR MLA Shrinivasul Reddy’s son Raghav Matunga and businessman Dinesh Arora turned approver and their statements against Singh led to his arrest. The Supreme Court of India granted him bail on 2nd April. The matter is sub judice.
Sandeep Kumar
In 2016, MLA Sandeep Kumar was sent to jail in connection to the accusations of raping a woman in exchange for getting a ration card made for her. Later, an objectionable CD was leaked featuring Kumar. Before his arrest, he was the state Woman and Child Development Minister. The minority affairs ministry was also under Kumar.
Naresh Yadav
MLA Naresh Yadav was arrested by Punjab police in Malerkotala for allegedly using derogatory language against the Quran. The charges were dropped by the court in 2021.
Prakash Jarval
In July 2016, AAP leader Prakash Jarwal was arrested for sexually abusing a woman. In 2018, he was arrested for misbehaving with the chief secretary of Delhi. In 2014, he was arrested for slapping a Delhi Jal Board Employee. In February 2024, he was convicted in a doctor’s suicide case. As per reports, 52-year-old doctor Rajendra Singh died of suicide in April 2020 and accused Jarwal and his aide of harassing him in a suicide note.
Akhileshpati Tripathi
In November 2019, AAP MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi was arrested by Delhi police for not appearing at Rouse Avenue Court. A non-bailable warrant was issued against him. He was accused of instigating riots in 2015 and was arrested in November that year.
Manoj Kumar
In July 2015, AAP MLA Manoj Kumar was arrested by Delhi police for cheating and a land grab case. He was also accused of domestic violence, but the charges were dismissed by the court in 2020.
Sharad Chouhan
In June 2016, MLA Sharad Chouhan was arrested by Delhi police in abetment of a suicide case. He was accused of abetting AAP worker Soni Mishra to commit suicide.
Jitender Singh Tomar
In 2015, Jitender Singh Tomar, serving as law minister, got arrested by the police in a fake degree case. He spent 1.5 months in jail. Reportedly, his LLB Degree was fake. He was one of the first AAP leaders to go to jail.
Dinesh Mohania
Delhi police arrested AAP MLA Dinesh Mohania in June 2016 for misbehaving with a woman. He was also accused of sexually abusing and sexual assault. In 2020, he was acquitted of the charges.
