Court orders Tihar Jail to escort Sanjay Singh to Parliament for Rajya Sabha oath tomorrow

A directive from a Delhi court has instructed Tihar Jail officials to escort Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh, who is currently detained in connection with the excise scam case, to Parliament on Tuesday for his oath-taking ceremony as a Rajya Sabha member.

Under the supervision of Special Judge M K Nagpal, the jail superintendent has been tasked with ensuring adequate security measures during Singh’s transportation.

“The Jail Superintendent concerned is directed to ensure that accused is taken to Parliament on 19.03.2024 under adequate security for the purpose of making and subscribing of oath as a Member and after the oath, he is also brought back to the jail safely,” stated the judge.

As outlined in an order issued on March 16, Singh will not be permitted to use a mobile phone or engage in conversation with any other accused, suspect, or witness related to his case, or to the connected case of the CBI, during his visit. Furthermore, he is prohibited from addressing the press or organising public meetings, as stated by Judge Nagpal.

However, Singh will be allowed to meet with his legal counsel and family members during the visit, as confirmed by the judge.

This directive comes as Singh was granted exemption from personal appearance before the court on March 19, the date scheduled for further proceedings in the case.

Sanjay Singh’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate is part of a money laundering investigation linked to the now-defunct Delhi excise policy. Currently, he remains in judicial custody.

The ED initiated its probe based on a CBI case, focusing on the money laundering aspect of the alleged scam.

The CBI case alleges irregularities in the modification of the excise policy, resulting in undue benefits for license-holders. These purported irregularities include the waiver or reduction of license fees and the extension of L-1 licenses (granted for wholesale supply of Indian liquor) without proper authorisation.

According to the allegations, the beneficiaries diverted “illegal” gains to accused officials and falsified entries in their account books to avoid detection.

(With PTI inputs)