AAP-Set: Sanjay Singh Arrested in Delhi Liquor ‘Scam’ | All About Kejriwal’s Troubleshooter & Main Man

In what could spell trouble for the Aam Aadmi Party, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh after raids at his official residence – 131 North Avenue – on Wednesday, the day the Supreme Court (SC) is scheduled to hear the bail plea of the party’s number two Manish Sisodia, who has been in jail since February 26 under various charges in the alleged Delhi liquor scam.

The raids began before 7am, when the MP was home with his wife, parents, domestic helps and his pet dogs, fish and birds. The ED raids came months after the agency raided three of his associates — Sarvesh Mishra, Ajit and Vivek Tyagi – over their alleged involvement in the purported Delhi liquor scam.

Satyendar Jain, Delhi’s former health, PWD and Home Minister, is out on bail on medical grounds.

Coming out strongly in defence of the embattled MP, AAP National Convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, earlier in the day, said, “Investigation into the alleged liquor scam has been going on for the past one year. They have not found anything (incriminating). They will find nothing from Sanjay Singh’s residence too."

The chief minister also linked the raids to the upcoming national elections in 2024. “The elections are around the corner. In 2024, they feel they are going to lose. This is the last desperate attempt of a person who is losing. Yesterday, journalists were raided. Today, Sanjay Singh has been raided. Just watch. By the time the elections happen, many more raids will happen. It is possible that you people may be subjected to raids."

While Kejriwal alluded to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Prime Minister, he did not name anyone. The chief minister said: “They will do it. As the elections draw close, the ED, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Income Tax (I-T) department and Police will make such attempts. However, there is nothing to fear. When a person is about to lose, he resorts to such tactics."

Asserting the innocence of the leaders under the scanner, Kejriwal said, “For the past one year, they have made a lot of noise in the alleged liquor scam. Till date, not even one paisa has been recovered. They say more than a thousand raids have been conducted and many people have been arrested. Yet, there has been no recovery so far."

AAP Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “No pressure works on Sanjay Singh. Sanjay Singh is one of the strongest voices of the opposition in India. He is the one who has the courage to ask questions to the Prime Minister. I don’t think Singh will be deterred by such efforts. He will come out stronger. He will ask many more questions now. You cannot stop Sanjay Singh like this."

AAP’s CORE TEAM MEMBER WITH TIES ACROSS PARTIES

A social worker prior to joining the Anna Hazare movement and later the AAP, Singh and Kejriwal go back almost 15 years. A powerful speaker who minces no words while taking on the high and mighty, Singh is equally at ease with the ‘salt of the earth’, who crowd his North Avenue residence every day, seeking his intervention in matters such as admission into hospitals. During Covid, Singh and his wife sheltered an abandoned old woman in his house after she was thrown out by her own family.

Singh regards UP activist Raghu Thakur as his inspiration. He is one of the very few people within the AAP who enjoys cordial relationship with politicians across party lines, including the BJP. During the monsoon session of Parliament, when Singh was suspended, an overwhelming number of opposition leaders made a beeline to express solidarity with the protesting MP — from CPP leader Sonia Gandhi to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. The party has made use of Singh’s goodwill to break the ice with key members of political parties. For instance, during the 2019 elections, Singh was a key interlocutor for seat-sharing talks with the Congress.

THE MAN FOR ALL SEASONS FOR AAP

Within the AAP, Singh plays a very crucial role. He is a member of the AAP’s highest decision-making body, the Political Affairs Committee. He is also in-charge of the expansion of the party in Uttar Pradesh. Because of his powerful communication style, the AAP has fielded him often to get across its point of view in TV debates and Parliament. In fact, as Singh remained suspended during the passage of the Delhi Services Bill, and MP Raghav Chadha stood up to oppose the Bill, many felt the party did not have a strong voice in the Rajya Sabha. Singh is also forceful when it comes to defending other embattled party colleagues as a spokesperson.

Singh also plays a key role in the AAP when it comes to managing its flock of MLAs and MPs. The ones, who feel sidelined or harbour unhappiness, seek out Singh to air their grievances – be it the MLAs, ticket-seekers or party functionaries or even Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He, along with Sisodia, is one of the main troubleshooters for the party. And unlike many other leaders, Singh has also acted as a mentor for his colleagues.

When AAP Convener criss-crossed the country, galvanizing support of the opposition parties to oppose the Delhi Services Bill, Singh was constantly by his side. He was also present in each meeting of the I.N.D.I.A bloc and Kejriwal nominated him into the ‘campaign committee’ .

A trusted party colleague, able spokesperson, fearless in targeting the opposition, interlocutor, TV spokesperson and debater, AAP worker, the 51-year-old MP wears many hats.

With Singh under the ED scanner, Sisodia still in jail, Jain battling illness while on bail, Kejriwal’s core team is set to face tremendous pressure, not just while navigating national politics, but also managing the party’s micro affairs.

Prior to the arrest, Bhardwaj had said, “If something happens, it will be unfortunate for the party, for the people of the country, for the voice of the opposition. That’s all I can say."