The Enforcement Directorate arrested Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case on Wednesday after conducting searches at his residence in the morning.
The officials said premises belonging to some others connected to the case were also covered during the operation.
The ED had earlier questioned the members of staff and those linked to the 51-year-old Rajya Sabha MP.
There are allegations that the excise policy of the Delhi government for 2021-22, which grants licenses to liquor traders, has potentially encouraged cartel-like behaviour and favoured specific dealers who are accused of offering bribes for these privileges. The AAP vehemently denies these allegations.
The policy was subsequently scrapped and the Delhi lieutenant governor recommended a CBI probe, following which the ED registered a case under the PMLA.
AAP on their Instagram handle posted a video of MP Sanjay Singh touching the feet of his mother as he leaves for custody. His mother spoke to PTI and she said, "Such an honest man shouldn’t be arrested like this. Had he done something wrong, he should have been arrested, but the whole country knows what an honest man he is. He told me not to worry as he will return soon."
Singh's wife, Anita Singh spoke to the media and she claimed, "They questioned and searched the house, computer, and documents but did not find anything. There was pressure upon them (ED officials) to arrest him and they arrested him. They (ED) did not give us any reason. We all are with him. He has been arrested in a fake case..."
How did AAP leaders react?
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reacted to the arrest of Singh on X, where he wrote, "The arrest of Sanjay Singh is completely illegal. This shows Modi ji's nervousness. They will arrest many more opposition leaders till the elections."
AAP leader and and Delhi minister Atishi reportedly said, "It is very clear that this (ED arresting Sanjay Singh) is the desperation of the BJP, it is very clear that the BJP knows that they are losing the upcoming state and Lok Sabha elections. Now they are trying to silence anyone who raises their voice against them."
AAP leader Somnath Bharti told the media, "This is very unfortunate and shows BJP's desperation. Today is the darkest day of democracy."
At a press conference in Delhi on Wednesday, AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj stated, "People don't want BJP back at the Centre. In the upcoming assembly elections in 5 states, BJP is going to lose in majority of the states." He added, "The arrest of Sanjay Singh without any evidence proves that the PM is aware that he is going to lose the election."
How did the BJP react?
Speaking on the arrest of AAP MP Sanjay Singh, Bharatiya Janata Party MP who recently hurled abuses to another MP in Lok Sabha, told PTI, "The Modi government has come to power to fight against corruption. The ED and CBI have carried out raids at 5,000 places and recovered around Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the last nine years."
How did other party leaders react?
Bihar Deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav spoke to the media and he said, "They (BJP) is scared and perturbed and they will take similar action here (in Bihar) as well. Wherever the regional party is performing well, they are harassing the governments there."
RJD MP Manoj Jha asserted, "Yesterday, it was for ‘NewsClick’ and the journalists connected to it. And today, it's Sanjay Singh. Just look at some past incidents - like the release of the Bihar Caste Census report. The party (BJP) can't understand anything, they have to manage headlines and scare opposition leaders," Jha also visited Sanjay Singh's residence after his arrest and met Singh's father.
Janata Dal (United) spokesperson KC Tyagi reacting to the arrest said, "Opposition leaders are facing continuous pressure. Sanjay Singh is a strong voice from the opposition parties in Rajya Sabha, and this arrest is an attempt to silence him."
Congress leader Digvijay Singh said, "I condemn (the arrest of Sanjay Singh). They (BJP) have made ED as their political weapon. It's an attempt to silence a strong leader like him."
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Fakrul Hasan Chand expressed his mind on the matter, he said, "If you are with the BJP, whether you are corrupt or a criminal, all your crimes will be forgiven. However, if you are against the BJP’s 'jan-virodhi' policies, it doesn't matter if you are a journalist, a leader from an opposition party, or a common person - you will face investigative agencies and trials."
Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "ED has become the ‘Election Department’ of BJP. Sanjay Singh is an MP who has questioned the Modi-government repeatedly. Such actions against him can’t be acceptable."
