A Delhi court on Saturday allowed jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh to go to Parliament under police custody and take oath as a Rajya Sabha MP on February 5. Singh has been arrested in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.Meanwhile, the court extended the judicial custody of Singh and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia till February 17.Singh, one of Delhi’s three Rajya Sabha MPs, was renominated by the AAP for another term in January of this year. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on October 4. Special judge M K Nagpal directed jail authorities to take Singh to Parliament at 10 am on February 5 to take the oath.The court directed that adequate security arrangements shall be made, and Singh shall not be allowed to use mobile phones or talk with any accused, suspect, witness, or media persons. The court also allowed his family members and lawyers to accompany him.Singh had approached the court on Thursday seeking interim bail for seven days to take his oath and to attend the ongoing Parliament session from February 5 to February 9. But on Saturday, he submitted that he no longer wanted seven days’ interim bail because he has to go to Sultanpur on February 7 for a hearing in another case. He asked that he may only be allowed to go to Parliament to take the oath on February 5.
ED did not oppose Singh’s modified prayer. The court dismissed Singh’s interim bail application as not pressed and allowed him to take oath on February 5. “The application seeking interim bail of Sanjay Singh is being dismissed as not pressed. However, jail superintendent concerned is directed to ensure that the accused is taken to Parliament on February 5 by 10am under adequate security for the purpose of taking of oath as a Member of Rajya Sabha and after the oath, he be brought back to the jail,” the court order said.
Singh had made a regular bail application on December 22, which was dismissed by the trial court. He then approached the high court on January 3, but the plea is still pending because the court reserved its order.
TAGS: AAP leader Sanjay Singh Parliament police custody Rajya Sabha MP money laundering case judicial custody Manish Sisodia
