ED opposes in HC plea by AAP leader Sanjay Singh against arrest

The Enforcement Directorate Thursday opposed in the Delhi High Court a plea by AAP leader Sanjay Singh challenging his arrest in a money laundering case related to the nowscrapped Delhi excise policy asserting a clear cut case was made out against himAdditional Solicitor General S V Raju appearing for the federal antimoney laundering agency said the AAP Rajya Sabha member was apprehended observing due compliance with the law and his plea which was a bail application in the guise of the writ petition was not maintainableJustice Swarana Kanta Sharma reserved the order on Singhs petition after hearing the rival parties The order is likely to be pronounced on FridaySingh who was arrested by the ED on October 4 had moved the high court last week challenging his arrest and remand in the money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in the scrapped Delhi excise policy for 202122 The EDs money laundering case stems from the CBI FIRAccording to the CBI and the ED irregularities were committed while modifying the Delhi Excise Policy 202122 and undue favours were extended to licence holdersIt alleged Singh played a key role in the formulation and implementation of the policy which benefited certain liquor manufacturers wholesalers and retailers for monetary considerationsSingh had earlier told the high court that his arrest was illegal malicious and a classic case of perversion of power and he should therefore be releasedRaju Thursday vehemently objected to Singhs contention that his arrest was malafide saying it was a bogey and when offence of money laundering is made out malafide is irrelevantHe Singh said because I sent legal notice to two officers therefore I have been falsely involveda clear cut case is made out that he is guilty under PMLA Grounds of arrest make out a case of money laundering and reason to arrest the senior law officer said He said the arrest was not made to teach him a lesson and was based on material in possession of the ED including the statement of approver Dinesh AroraEssentially he is moving a bail application in the guise of a petition under Article 226 of the Constitution No constitutional right or fundamental right is violated The petition is not maintainable Trying to convert petition into bail cannot be permitted Raju contendedThe ED said Singh was an influential person who was capable of tampering with evidence It claimed it had recovered the photograph of a document which was in EDs possession from SinghRaju also said the remand order was passed by the trial court after total application of mind and considering case papers and it cannot be interfered with unless there is an error apparent on the face of the recordThe senior counsel also said that being an accused in the predicate offence being probed by the CBI was not necessary as money laundering was an independent offenceAfter his arrest the trial court remanded Singh in the custody of the agency On October 13 he was sent to judicial custody till October 27 Earlier Singhs counsel had argued the arrest of the reputed leader was a kneejerk reaction as it was done without complying with due process of law and it deserved the courts condemnation in order to not only to protect his liberty but also set the right precedent