AAP MP Sanjay Singh says ED tortured liquor scam case witnesses

Sanjay Singh said ED officials had tortured Delhi Liquor scam witnesses and forced them to include the names of persons told by them

Hyderabad: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh on Wednesday said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials used third degree and that they were putting undue pressure on witnesses of the Delhi Liquor scam case to sign pre-dictated statements and to include names of politicians. He said he would submit details and documents related to the harassment of witnesses by ED officials to the Parliament Privileges Committee to take action against the officials.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Sanjay Singh said ED officials had tortured Delhi Liquor scam witnesses and forced them to include the names of persons told by them.

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“I am not making an allegation. This has been told by the witnesses to the court. People who were subject to torture and other kind of harassments have lodged a complaint with various courts,” he said.

Citing the example of Delhi liquor scam kingpin Sharat Chandra Reddy’s staffer E Chandan, Singh said the former had approached the Telangana High Court complaining that ED officials had subjected him to third degree methods during the raids conducted in his house. ED officials had slapped and hit his ear repeatedly, which resulted in hearing loss and he was in hospital for four days, Singh said.

Another accused Hyderabad-based businessman, Arun Ramchandran Pillai, too moved Delhi court seeking to retract his statement given to ED. Singh claimed that ED officials threatened Pillai’s wife and daughter, to make him sign on statements.

He further stated that another accused liquor businessman Sameer Mahendru’s wife was summoned by ED officials at their office without any notice and was threatened. Sameer told the court that he was forced to give false statements by ED. Another accused YSR Congress Party MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy’s son Raghava Reddy too told the court that ED officials were putting pressure to name political leaders in his statements.

Singh said he would shortly submit the details and names of ED officials who were threatening the accused and witnesses.