Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi has strongly condemned the arrest of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is pursuing a deliberate campaign to defame both the AAP and the Delhi government.
Speaking to ANI, Tyagi said that the action by central agencies are guided by the intent to defame its oppoenents. “Investigation agencies are being misused on the instructions of the government. I condemn the arrest of Sanjay Singh. To defame the Delhi government and AAP this action has been taken. Our stand is clear that we are not against agencies but against the misuse of agencies,” he said.
In response, the BJP defended the actions taken by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and pointed fingers at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, claiming him to be the mastermind behind the alleged liquor scam.
Addressing a press conference, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari asserted, “Today Sanjay Singh has been arrested (in connection with Delhi liquor policy case). The flame will not remain only on Sanjay Singh or Manish Sisodia or Satyendar Jain, I believe it will soon reach Arvind Kejriwal.”
BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh claimed that the people of Delhi have started getting justice. “Arvind Kejriwal is the kingpin of this liquor scam.”
BSP MP Danish Ali also expressed his concern over Singh’s arrest, suggesting a political motive behind his suspension from the Rajya Sabha. He said, “Sanjay Singh was suspended from Rajya Sabha because he was continuously asking questions on Manipur. The government did not like it… This is an undeclared emergency. Today the agencies are being misused. One-sided action is being taken. This is vendetta politics.”
Also Read: AAP MP Sanjay Singh arrested by ED in Delhi liquor case
Meanwhile, AAP has announced plans to stage a protest outside the BJP headquarters in the national capital in response to Singh’s arrest. Delhi Minister Gopal Rai, addressing the media, emphasised, “If the Bharatiya Janata Party thinks that it can win elections by ‘using’ central agencies on the basis of power and imposing dictatorship, then history is the witness that the public gives a reply.”
“Tomorrow (Thursday), the AAP will hold a protest outside the BJP headquarters at 11 a.m. against the dictatorship and to save the democracy. I appeal to all that if you are in favour of democracy, please reach the BJP headquarters at the given time in order to save the constitution and democracy” Rai added.
On Wednesday, AAP leader Sanjay Singh was arrested shortly after the ED conducted raids at his residence. These actions are part of a broader investigation into money laundering allegations related to the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-2022, which was never put into effect.
Also Read: Gujarat HC initiates contempt proceedings against 4 policemen in Kheda flogging case
Singh’s party colleague and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was also arrested in connection with the liquor policy scandal and remains in custody.
Sisodia had been arrested by the CBI on February 26 in connection with the same case. The ED’s raids were conducted following restaurateur Dinesh Arora, who had initially been accused but later cooperated with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Delhi Excise Policy Scam case. The ED alleges that AAP MP Singh had close ties to Dinesh Arora and had introduced him to former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
The Delhi excise policy case centres on allegations that the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021–22 facilitated cartelization and favoured specific dealers who purportedly paid bribes for these advantages, a charge strongly denied by the AAP.
To date, the ED has filed five chargesheets in the case, including one against Sisodia.
(With inputs from ANI)