The Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi on Tuesday permitted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh for the second time to go to Parliament in police custody and take oath as a Rajya Sabha MP. The court has allowed Singh to go to Parliament on February 8 or February 9.
Special Judge MK Nagpal while allowing Sanjay Singh’s application stated that on February 3, 2024, this court had directed the jail authorities to take the accused to Rajya Sabha under judicial custody for administration of oath as a member.
However, it has been submitted that though he was taken to the Rajya Sabha the oath could not be administered to him due to certain reasons and hence he is directed to be taken again to the Rajya Sabha on February 8 and February 9, 2024, said the Court.
The court further directed that the applicant shall be taken to Rajyasabha from judicial custody and under appropriate security for administration of oath on either of the above dates on which he may be required to visit for the above purpose. In this regard, the Jail superintendent is being directed to communicate with the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
The Court has allowed Singh’s Lawyer to visit Tihar Jail to meet Sanjay Singh to take his signatures on relevant documents.
Advocates Rajat Bharadwaj and Mohd Irshad appeared for Singh in the matter and Special Public Prosecutor Naveen Kumar Matta appeared for the Enforcement Directorate.
It was submitted by the counsels for Singh that certain documents are required to be signed by the accused and these have to be submitted in the concerned office of Rajya Sabha so that the applicant can be called for administration of oath and the date will then be finalised by said office only.
On February 5, 2024, Sanjay Singh was not sworn in as Rajya Sabha MP as Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar refused to allow him to take the oath and stated that proceedings of the Upper House are regulated by the listed business which is notified in the bulletin. Oath taking of Sanjay Singh wasn’t listed in the business of the House and no communication from Rajya Sabha on this matter ever came for consideration.
Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.
Last week, the Delhi High Court kept the order reserved on a regular bail plea moved by Singh in Delhi’s Excise policy case. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on October 4, 2023, in the case.
In its reply filed by ED in the bail matter, the probe agency has opposed the bail petition of Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh and alleged that he was involved in creating a special purpose vehicle to launder the proceeds of crime that would have been generated from the business arising out the policy changes as conspired by him and his co-conspirators.
Sanjay Singh was then involved in acquiring, possessing, concealing, dissipating and using proceeds of crime generated from the Delhi Liquor Scam pertaining to the policy period of 2021-22, said ED.