Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday granted permission to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh for the second time to attend Parliament in police custody and take oath as a Rajya Sabha MP.
The court has authorized Singh to visit Parliament on either February 8 or February 9.
Special Judge MK Nagpal, while approving Sanjay Singh’s request, mentioned that on February 3, 2024, the court had directed the jail authorities to escort the accused to Rajya Sabha under judicial custody for the administration of oath as a member.
However, it was reported that although he was taken to the Rajya Sabha, the oath could not be administered to him due to certain reasons. Therefore, he is directed to be taken again to the Rajya Sabha on February 8 and February 9, 2024, stated the Court.
The court further directed that Singh shall be escorted to the Rajya Sabha from judicial custody and under appropriate security for the administration of oath on either of the aforementioned dates. The Jail superintendent has been directed to liaise with the Rajya Sabha Secretariat in this regard. Singh’s Lawyer has been permitted by the Court to visit Tihar Jail to meet Sanjay Singh and obtain his signatures on relevant documents. Advocates Rajat Bharadwaj and Mohd Irshad represented Singh in the matter, while Special Public Prosecutor Naveen Kumar Matta appeared for the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Singh’s counsels mentioned that certain documents need to be signed by the accused, which must be submitted to the concerned office of Rajya Sabha. The date for the administration of oath will be finalized by the said office.
On February 5, 2024, Sanjay Singh was not sworn in as a Rajya Sabha MP as Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar refused to permit him to take the oath. Dhankhar stated that the proceedings of the Upper House are regulated by the listed business, which is notified in the bulletin. Singh’s oath-taking wasn’t listed in the business of the House, and no communication from Rajya Sabha on this matter was brought for consideration.
Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.
Last week, the Delhi High Court reserved the order on a regular bail plea filed by Singh in the Delhi 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 opposed the bail petition of Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh, alleging that he was involved in creating a special purpose vehicle to launder the proceeds of crime generated from the business arising out of the policy changes as conspired by him and his co-conspirators.
Sanjay Singh was 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.