Today, On 4th January, The Rouse Avenue Court reserved its order on AAP MP Sanjay Singh’s plea seeking modifications in his bail conditions. Singh, out on bail in the excise policy case, requested changes to facilitate his international travel for public welfare events. The court’s decision on the matter is awaited.
New Delhi: The Rouse Avenue court on Tuesday reserved its decision regarding AAP MP Sanjay Singh’s request for modification of bail conditions and the release of his diplomatic passport. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja made this ruling after hearing submissions from both Singh’s counsel and representatives from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The court is set to announce its order on February 18.
In the meantime, the court has instructed the ED to inform it of the time required to provide translated copies of relevant documents. During the hearing, Advocate Dr. Farrukh Khan, along with Changez Khan, represented Sanjay Singh, arguing that Singh needs to travel both domestically and internationally.
They noted that he is required to notify the investigating officer even for travel within the Delhi NCR area and has sent 160 emails to the officer without receiving any responses. The counsel emphasized that Singh holds a diplomatic passport but cannot travel abroad without political clearance.
However, the ED’s special counsel, Zoheb Hossain, opposed the plea, stating that due to Singh’s past conduct, he is not entitled to any special treatment. Hossain pointed out that confidential documents related to the investigation were found in Singh’s possession.
On January 18, Singh filed a request to modify his bail conditions and seek the return of his diplomatic passport. When granting bail, the court had instructed him to inform the investigating officer in writing about his itinerary before leaving the Delhi NCR.
Singh was granted bail by the Supreme Court on April 2, 2024, and on April 3, while accepting his bail bonds, the Rouse Avenue court imposed specific conditions, including the requirement to provide a detailed itinerary in advance if he plans to leave the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
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Singh’s counsel argued that, as a politician and spokesperson for the Aam Aadmi Party, he often needs to travel across the country for social and political responsibilities. They noted that the requirement to share his itinerary in advance has created significant logistical challenges.
The dynamic nature of his engagements often necessitates unplanned travel to address urgent matters, which has hindered his ability to respond promptly to citizens’ requests.
Furthermore, being an active political and social activist, Singh frequently receives invitations to participate in international events, conferences, and forums focused on public welfare.
However, due to his passport being held by the court, he is unable to accept or respond to these invitations, particularly as his younger brother resides in the United States.