The arrest of Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh in connection with a money laundering case related to the revoked Delhi excise policy has ignited a political controversy.
BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged on Thursday that the AAP is engaged in “corruption” and resorts to “political tactics” when confronted with such allegations.
“AAP MP Sanjay Singh has been arrested by the ED yesterday in a liquor scam case… It is AAP’s character to do corruption openly and when they are caught, they start politics over it,” Sambit Patra said in a press conference in Bhubaneswar.
Also Read: Is Arvind Kejriwal next? Sambit Patra says, ‘Sanjay Singh may implicate a senior within AAP’
Former Delhi BJP chief and Lok Sabha member Manoj Tiwari stated during a press briefing on Wednesday that in the history of political positions and offices, he has never witnessed individuals with such criminal backgrounds occupying these roles.
“Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels 🚀 Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!” Click here!
“While Sanjay Singh has been arrested today, the spotlight will soon shift from Sanjay Singh and Manish Sisodia. I believe the ongoing probe will soon reach the threshold of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal,” Tiwari noted.
Also Read: How the AAP MP is connected with Delhi Excise Policy Scam case
The Aam Aadmi Party has condemned the arrest as an act of political vendetta, asserting that Sanjay Singh is facing repercussions for being one of the most outspoken voices within the opposition INDIA bloc.
“Are Manoj Tiwari and BJP running the ED and CBI? This proves that it’s a conspiracy against us,” AAP spokesperson Reena Gupta said.
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak suggested that the arrest was primarily orchestrated because, “they (BJP) have found that it’s very difficult to defeat Arvind Kejriwal.”
“It has been 15 months, they have raided thousands of places but nothing has come out. In this case also, nothing will come out…They just want to break down the Aam Aadmi Party.”
AAP leader Dilip Pandey asserted that the ED arrested Sanjay Singh when they failed to uncover any incriminating evidence during their day-long raid.
“People will give a befitting reply to BJP in upcoming elections,” he added.
Sanjay Singh‘s arrest marks the second notable detention in the case, following the earlier arrest of former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a search at Sanjay Singh’s residence on Wednesday morning in connection with the revoked liquor excise policy in the national capital.
This action came shortly after the ED had carried out similar raids on properties associated with two individuals believed to be close associates of Sanjay Singh, all within the same context.
Also Read: AAP loses three key leaders to ED arrests in two different cases between 2022-23. A recap
According to assertions made by the enforcement directorate, Singh and his associates were allegedly involved in influencing the Delhi government’s granting of licenses to liquor shops and vendors in 2020. This purportedly resulted in financial losses to the state treasury and a violation of anti-corruption regulations.
(With inputs from agencies)
“Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels 🚀 Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!” Click here!
Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
Updated: 05 Oct 2023, 02:07 PM IST