ED Detains AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh In Delhi Excise Policy Case; Court Grants 5-Day Custody

A day after being apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh found himself in a legal quandary when the Rouse Avenue court decided on Thursday to grant the probe agency custody of him for a five-day period extending until October 10. The Enforcement Directorate's prosecution complaint in the case contains a statement by businessman Dinesh Arora, who is one of the accused, and it implicates Singh. Earlier in the day, members and supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) took to the streets to stage protests against Singh's arrest.

In a separate development, the Delhi Police have opposed requests for a copy of the FIR (First Information Report) made by NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and the head of the human resources department, Amit Chakravarty. Both individuals have been arrested in a case related to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), following allegations that the news portal received funds to disseminate pro-China propaganda. While a Delhi court had granted the remand papers to the accused, it is currently in the process of deliberating on whether to provide a copy of the FIR.

On Wednesday, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police secured custody of Purkayastha and Chakraborty for a period of seven days as part of their investigation into the alleged channeling of funds to the news portal. Additionally, the investigation revolves around Purkayastha's purported "friendship since 1991" with rights activist Gautam Navlakha, who is currently under house arrest in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case. The Special Cell had invoked the UAPA when arresting the two individuals on Tuesday, following extensive searches conducted at more than 50 locations associated with the news portal, its staff, and contributors.