Non-Bailable Warrant Issued Against AAP MP Sanjay Singh for 2001 Protest

An MP/MLA court issued a non-bailable warrant against AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and five others on Tuesday. This action followed their failure to surrender after being convicted and sentenced in a more than two-decade-old road blockade protest case.

The incident dates back to June 19, 2001, when Anoop Sanda, then a leader of the Democratic Socialist Party, and Singh, along with supporters, blocked a road near a flyover during a protest over power issues. The special court's then-magistrate Yogesh Yadav convicted all six accused, including Sanda and Singh, on January 11, 2023. They were sentenced to 45 days in jail and fined Rs 1,500 each.

Non-Bailable Warrants Issued

On Tuesday, Special Magistrate of the MP/MLA court Shubham Verma issued non-bailable warrants against Singh and other convicts for not appearing in court to surrender. Sanjay Singh's advocate Madan Singh confirmed that the special magistrate attended the court and issued the warrants against all those convicted in the case.

The court had previously upheld the 45-day jail sentence for Singh, SP national spokesperson and former MLA Anoop Sanda, and others on August 6. They were directed to surrender by August 9. However, Singh did not appear in court on Friday due to Parliament proceedings, leading to the next hearing being scheduled for Monday, August 12.

Conviction and Sentencing Details

Last week, Special Sessions Judge MP/MLA Ekta Verma dismissed the appeal of Singh and Sanda against their conviction and sentence. The next hearing is set for August 20. The special judge of the MP-MLA court was on leave on Monday, causing a delay in proceedings.

Sanjay Singh is one of the founding members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which was established in 2012. He hails from Sultanpur district and was previously associated with the Democratic Socialist Party.

The prosecution detailed that the road blockade protest led by Sanda and Singh was over power issues. The incident occurred near a flyover here, significantly disrupting traffic.

The special courts' decision to convict all six accused has been upheld despite appeals. This case highlights ongoing legal challenges faced by political figures involved in protests.

The legal proceedings continue as the next hearing approaches on August 20. The issuance of non-bailable warrants underscores the seriousness of failing to comply with court directives.