AAP leader Sanjay Singh denied oath as Rajya Sabha MP during incarceration

PTC News Desk: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh, currently in jail, is prohibited from taking the oath as a Rajya Sabha MP. The Rajya Sabha chairman has declined Singh's oath-taking, citing an ongoing review by the Privileges Committee, as reported by ANI.

Singh faced suspension from the Rajya Sabha on July 24 last year for non-compliance with the chair's directives. Despite being in custody, the 51-year-old AAP leader was granted permission by Delhi's Rouse Avenue court on Saturday to take the oath as an MP under custody. The court's decision came two days after Singh petitioned for interim bail, seeking to attend the ongoing Budget session of Parliament from February 5 to 9.

Singh's legal representative informed the court that the plea for interim bail was withdrawn, as Singh needed to attend a hearing in another case in Sultanpur on February 7. With the Enforcement Directorate not opposing the modified plea, the court dismissed Singh's interim bail application, allowing him to take the oath on Monday.

Sanjay Singh has been incarcerated since October in connection with the Enforcement Directorate's investigation into money laundering related to the now-discarded Delhi excise policy. On January 4, he was permitted to submit his nomination for Rajya Sabha membership, and on January 10, he received approval to visit the returning officer for his membership certificate.

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The central agency is examining alleged money laundering in the case, which revolves around the Arvind Kejriwal government's 2021-22 excise policy aimed at revitalising Delhi's struggling liquor industry.

The Delhi excise policy case involves accusations that the Kejriwal-led government's policy allowed cartelisation and favoured specific dealers who purportedly paid bribes. The AAP strongly denies these allegations. Sanjay Singh's party colleague and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has also been incarcerated in the same case since March last year.

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(Inputs from agencies)