Court rejects bail plea of AAP MP Sanjay Singh in money laundering case linked to excise policy scam
New Delhi, Dec 22: A Delhi court on Friday dismissed the bail application of senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh in a money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy 'scam', observing that he was connected with the "proceeds of crime to the extent of Rs 2 crore" and the case against him was "genuine".
The Rajya Sabha lawmaker, who was arrested on October 4 this year, is accused of receiving Rs 2 crore, the alleged proceeds of the predicate or scheduled offence involving alleged corruption in formulating and executing the city government's excise policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped.
The CBI had registered the FIR over alleged corruption after a complaint was lodged by Lt Governor V K Saxena.
"Now, coming to merits of the case or the evidence and material collected during investigation against the applicant and produced before the court, it is observed that he is shown to have been connected with proceeds of crime to the extent of Rs 2 crores, which are being alleged to have been generated through the criminal activities of above scheduled offences case of CBI.
"It has been shown that the above amount of Rs. 2 crores was paid or delivered to him, through his associate Sarvesh Mishra who had earlier worked as Personal Assistant to him and he apparently had accepted or taken the said amounts for and on behalf of the applicant," special judge M K Nagpal said in the order.
The judge said the Enforcement Directorate's "basic case" was "approved" by the Supreme Court, which had also "endorsed" that bribes or kickbacks were paid for the formulation of the Delhi government's excise policy of 2021-22.
The court rejected the submissions of Singh that he cannot be made an accused in the money laundering case as he was not named in the main FIR by the CBI (related to alleged corruption).
Referring to some apex court judgments, the judge said not naming Singh in the FIR, nor summoning him to join the investigation was of "no relevancy" if the investigating agency showed sufficient evidence to support his involvement and further detention.
"Considering the oral and documentary evidence in entirety and also in light of the settled legal position, this court is of prima facie view that the case against the applicant (Singh) is genuine and the said evidence and material shows the involvement of the applicant in the commission of the alleged offence of money laundering," the court said.
It said it had been shown that Singh was directly or indirectly involved in activities or processes connected with the proceeds of crime.
"The evidence and material are also sufficient to furnish this court reasonable grounds for believing that he is guilty of the said offence in terms of provisions under Section 45 (cognizable and non-bailable offences) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)," the court said, adding the conditions for grant of bail were not satisfied.
The court said the bail applications of other accused, including Sameer Mahandru, Amit Arora, Vijay Nair, Arun Ramachandran Pillai, Amandeep Dhall and Abhishek Boinpally were already dismissed and its interpretation of the PMLA provisions while dismissing the applications were not set aside by any superior court.
It said the ED showed accused-turned-approver Dinesh Arora paid Singh Rs 2 crore.
The court said Arora's statement "prima facie" showed that the amount was paid to Singh as a "bribe or kickbacks in lieu of favours extended to the stakeholders in the liquor business" and it was also the "kickback amount paid or agreed to be paid in connection with formulation or implementation of 2021-22 excise policy."
Arora's disclosures were also corroborated by a protected witness with the pseudonym 'Alpha', the court said.
According to 'Alpha', he was sent by Arora to deliver the cash amounts of Rs 1 crore on two occasions and the protected witness delivered the said amounts to Singh's associate Mishra at his office, the court noted.
"The evidence and material collected during investigation not only shows the relation or connection of applicant with the proceeds of crime generated through the criminal activities of offences pertaining to excise policy of the GNCTD for the year 2021- 22, but such evidence also reflects or shows an attempt on his part made knowingly to be a party to the process or activities connected with proceeds of crime generated or sought to be generated in respect to the previous excise policy of the year 2020 -21," the court said.
The anti-money laundering agency had arrested Singh on October 4. The ED has alleged that Singh played a key role in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped 2021-2022 excise policy, which benefited certain liquor manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, for monetary consideration.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
