Sisodia, Singh's judicial custody extended; court directs jail authorities on election certificate collection

New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS) A Delhi court on Wednesday extended the judicial custody of AAP MP Sanjay Singh and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia until January 20. 

Singh, who had filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections, has been directed by the court to be taken to the Returning Officer to collect the election certificate on January 12 under appropriate security.

Special Judge MK Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court also asked the jail authorities to consider Singh's application sympathetically, requesting a table and chair and permission to carry some books in judicial custody.

Additionally, interim bail was granted to Sarvesh Mishra until the disposal of his regular bail application in the same case, where he is charged alongside Singh.

The court allowed time for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file a fresh list of unrelied documents related to the case.

On January 6, the court had allowed Singh to be physically present to file his renomination papers for the forthcoming elections to the Upper House.

A day before, the court had granted permission to Singh to sign forms and documents for his RS renomination.

The judge had directed the jail superintendent to facilitate Singh's visit to the Returning Officer on January 8 and 10 for the submission and scrutiny of his nomination papers.

The court had specified that Singh could remain at the office until the nomination and scrutiny process were complete.

However, the court had imposed restrictions during these visits, prohibiting the use of mobile phone, communication with other accused, suspects, or witnesses in the case, and addressing the press or holding public meetings.

Singh has also been permitted to meet his counsel and family members to facilitate the renomination and scrutiny processes. Singh had filed an application submitting that his current term as a Rajya Sabha member is expiring on January 27.

On Singh seeking direction to the Tihar Jail Superintendent to allow him to sign the documents, the court had passed the order on January 5, saying that the prison superintendent must ensure that Singh's signatures are permitted to be taken on the said documents and he is also permitted to meet his counsel for half-an-hour to discuss the modalities in connection with the filing of his Rajya Sabha renomination.

"It is being directed that if the documents are presented by the counsel for the accused before the jail authorities on January 6, the Jail Superintendent must ensure that the signatures of the accused are permitted," the judge had said.

On January 11, the AAP MP had moved the Delhi High Court, seeking bail in the money laundering case in connection with the alleged excise policy scam.

The move came after Judge Nagpal had, on December 22, dismissed Singh's bail plea. On December 21, the trial court had also extended the AAP leader's judicial custody in the case and had asked the ED to provide a copy of its fifth supplementary charge sheet and related documents to him.

Denying bail to Singh, the judge had said that the evidence demonstrated the accused's involvement in money laundering and that there were reasonable grounds to believe in the guilt based on the connection to proceeds of crime from scheduled offences investigated by the CBI.

The ED had arrested Singh on October 4 after carrying out searches at his residence in the North Avenue area.

--IANS

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