Sanjay Singh Granted Bail by Supreme Court in Money Laundering Case

Supreme Court Grants Bail to AAP Leader Sanjay Singh in Money Laundering Case

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court granted bail to Sanjay Singh, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP, in a money laundering case related to the Delhi liquor policy. This decision came after the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) made a concession, stating they had no objection to Singh’s bail.

The Court clarified that its decision didn’t express any opinion on the case’s merits. The bench, consisting of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Dipankar Datta, and PB Varale, allowed Singh to engage in political activities during his bail period but prohibited him from making public statements about the case. It also specified that the order should not be considered a precedent.

During the hearing, the bench asked the Additional Solicitor General SV Raju to determine if Singh’s further custody was necessary. When the court reconvened, Raju conceded to bail without delving into the case’s merits, citing unique circumstances.

Singh, who was in judicial custody since October 4, 2023, following his arrest by the ED, faced accusations related to receiving money. However, during the hearing, Singh’s counsel emphasized that the case was primarily based on the statement of an approver, Dinesh Arora, who had made several exculpatory statements before implicating Singh. The defense argued that the ED’s reliance on certain statements without providing access to all relevant documents was unfair.

The court also questioned the ED about the necessity of Singh’s arrest and its handling of exculpatory statements by Arora. The bench raised a hypothetical scenario regarding the application of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to standalone offenses, seeking clarification from both counsels.

In considering the case’s facts, the bench noted the lack of recovery of any money and the multiple exculpatory statements made by Arora. Consequently, the ED was asked to determine if further detention of Singh was warranted.

The Supreme Court’s decision to grant bail to Singh underscores the complexities of the case and raises questions about the application of relevant laws and procedures.