No Relief to Sanjay Singh, Delhi HC Denies Bail in Excise Policy Case

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday denied bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Leader Sanjay Singh in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

A single bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma pronounced the order.

The court, while rejecting Singh’s bail plea, directed the trial court to expedite the trial.

“No ground for grant of bail is made out. We direct the trial court to expedite the trial. No unnecessary adjournment be sought by either side,” the bench stated.

The AAP leader was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on October 4, 2023, after the agency conducted a search at his residence. He has been in judicial custody since October 13, 2023.

The trial court rejected his bail plea on December 22, 2023.

The case against Singh involves allegations that he played a key role in framing and implementing the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy, which was allegedly aimed at benefiting certain liquor manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers.

Earlier, Singh had filed a plea challenging his arrest on the ground that it was an abuse of the legal process and in violation of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Pankaj Bansal v. Union of India known as M3M Reality case.

The High Court rejected that plea on October 20, 2023, and held that the ED is a premier investigating agency and imputing political motives to it may have an impact on the image of the country.

Singh then moved the Supreme Court on this aspect, which is now seized of the matter.

When that case came up for hearing before the top court on November 20, 2023, the apex court granted him the liberty to approach the trial court for bail. After the trial rejected his bail plea, he filed the present plea before the High Court.