AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Tuesday was granted bail by the Supreme Court of India in the Delhi Liquor Policy case. Sanjay Singh was lodged in Tihar Jail after he was arrested by the ED on October 4, 2023, following searches at his residence in Delhi. ED had alleged that an employee of businessman Dinesh Arora delivered Rs. 2 crores to Sanjay Singh's house on two occasions. Therefore, ED had raided his residence and arrested him under the Delhi liquor policy case. Notably, Sanjay Singh is the first AAP leader who has been granted bail in the case. AAP leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia are still in judicial custody. Now, the question arises as to why ED did not oppose Sanjay Singh's bail in the Supreme Court. Below is everything you need to know-
Senior Advocate & Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi represented Sanjay Singh in the Supreme Court. As per reports, the bench sought the ED's stand after hearing arguments led by Abhishek Manu Singhvi on behalf of Singh and noting that there were exculpatory statements by approver-Dinesh Arora and no money had been recovered. "Nothing has been recovered, there is no trace," the bench observed during the hearing. The bench further stated that the allegation of Sanjay Singh receiving a Rs 2 crore bribe could be tested in the trial.
During the hearing, Abhishek Singhvi emphasised that the entire ED case against the AAP Rajya Sabha MP is based on the statement of approver-turned-Dinesh Arora, who made 9 exculpatory statements before finally naming Sanjay Singh. It was highlighted that Arora was granted bail on ED's "no-objection", while the concerned court remarked that ED was "playing smart".
Notably, ED's unable to find the money trail and Arora's 9 exculpatory statements forced the ED to answer multiple questions raised by Singhvi. In its order, the Court also directed Sanjay Singh to not make any comments on the case. As a result, ED did not oppose Sanjay Singh's bail.
Rishikesh Kumar, advocate of Sanjay Singh while talking to a newswire said, "...Sanjay Singh has been granted bail. The most astonishing factor is that Sanjay Singh has been granted bail because ED did not argue their case at all and conceded on the bail because it was all apparent during the hearing and it was made clear by the judges before lunch that against Sanjay Singh, there is no credible material, to make a case against him...ED has conceded before the court..."