Sanjay Singh is the third AAP leader to be arrested in the alleged liquor scam (ANI)
The Aam Aadmi Party's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was produced before the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi after he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, or ED, on Wednesday in a money laundering case linked to the investigation into the Delhi liquor policy. The financial probe agency, which arrested Mr Singh after a nine-hour search of his residence, is seeking his custody for questioning in the case in which another AAP leader, Manish Sisodia, is in jail. Mr Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation earlier this year.
Here are the highlights from Sanjay Singh's hearing:
Sanjay Singh's lawyer has been given the AAP MP's remand copy. "Two separate transactions have taken place. The total transaction amounts to Rs 2 crore," the ED's lawyer said.
"Dinesh Arora's employee said that he had sent Rs 2 crore to Sanjay Singh's house. A crore was sent from Indospirit's office to Sanjay Singh's house," the lawyer added.
"Everything is a lie," Sanjay Singh told the court.
"Dinesh Arora and Amit Arora were in the custody of the agencies for all these days. Now they have taken my name. I am saying, with folded hands, if there is any truth in any of this, give me the maximum punishment. But this is a case of vendetta," he added.
The ED responded by saying: "Dinesh Arora has not just taken the name of Sanjay Singh but also of two others. He didn't reveal it earlier since he was threatened by Vijay Nair, who said they are influential people."
"Dinesh Arora's statement was given on August 14. He is an approver based on a judicial order of this court," the ED added.
"The ED is saying they have conducted 239 searches. Is the ED saying, they are going to confront Sanjay Singh with the evidence collected from the 239 searches? Look at the seizure memos. Nothing was seized from my residence," the lawyer contended
The lawyer appearing for Sanjay Singh said that this investigation will go on. "Sanjay Singh has never been summoned before. Dinesh Arora is an accused in both cases and has turned approver in both cases. Arora was arrested by the same ED. Now he has turned approver."
"It was pre-decided to arrest me. I have never been called before," Sanjay Singh's lawyer said.
According to the ED, "There is a direct link with the proceeds of crime. There were two instances when a crore was delivered by Sarvesh, an employee of Dinesh Arora. His mobile location has also been corroborated."
Dinesh Arora, also an accused in the case and in jail, was allegedly a close aide of Manish Sisodia.
Sanjay Singh's home was searched on Wednesday and summons were issued to him at the end of the searches, the ED told the court when asked how many times the leader was summoned for questioning.
"Sanjay Singh got Rs 2 crore from Dinesh Arora. We have seized digital evidence from his premises. That needs to be confronted with him," the ED said.