A Delhi court on January 6 allowed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh to personally file nomination for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election. Mr Singh is in jail since October last year in connection with now scrapped Delhi excise policy.
Mr Singh, through his counsel had filed an application before the court of Special judge, M.K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue court Seeking directions to the jail authorities to produce him before the Returning Officer appointed for conduction of elections for the posts of members of Rajya Sabha.
On January 4, this court had permitted Mr Singh to put his signatures on the ‘Nomination Form’ and its supporting documents to be filed in connection with his election as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
According to the application filed by Mr Singh, the last date for submission of nomination papers is on January 9 and the personal physical presence of accused is also required for submission of the nomination papers before the Returning Officer on January 8 and the same is further required on January 10 in connection with scrutiny of the said papers.
“In view of the submissions being made, this application filed by the accused is also allowed and disposed off with directions to the Jail Superintendent concerned that the accused shall be taken to the office of Returning Officer... on both dates to enable him to submit his nomination papers in connection with the said election and also for scrutiny thereof,” the court said.
It added that the accused shall be permitted to remain the office of the returning officer till the above process of nomination and scrutiny of the documents is completed. The accused, the court said, will not be allowed to use any mobile phone and to talk with with any other accused, suspect or witness of this case, as well as of the connected case of CBI, and he shall also not be permitted to address the press or hold any public meeting.
“However, he may be permitted to meet his counsel as well as his family members to facilitate his nomination and the scrutiny process,” court added.
Mr. Singh, who is considered close to AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, is the third senior AAP leader to be arrested in less than a year and a half. Former Delhi Public Works Department Minister Satyendar Jain is in jail for over a year in an alleged money laundering case. Former Deputy Chief Minster of Delhi and AAP leader, Manish Siodia was arrested in February 2023 in the same case.
The ED probe is based on a case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The CBI had lodged an FIR in the alleged irregularities in framing and implementation of the excise policy of Delhi, in 2022. The probe agency has alleged that the excise policy was modified to extend undue favours to licence holders; licence fee was waived or reduced; and L-1 (wholesaler) licence was extended without the competent authority’s approval.
