ED gets 24-hour transit remand of AAP's Deepak Singla in ₹150 crore bank fraud case
Synopsis
Two AAP leaders in ED custody on the same day — Deepak Singla remanded for 24 hours over an alleged ₹150 crore Oriental Bank of Commerce fraud with suspected hawala links across Delhi, Goa, and Singapore, while Punjab Minister Sanjeev Arora is sent to 14 days' judicial custody in a separate GST fraud case. AAP has called it politically motivated, drawing parallels with ED action against TMC in West Bengal.
Key Takeaways
The Rouse Avenue Court granted the ED a 24-hour transit remand of AAP leader Deepak Singla on 18 May .
Singla is accused, along with Ashok Kumar Mittal , Raman Singla , and Harish Singla , of defrauding the Oriental Bank of Commerce of more than ₹150 crore .
The ED suspects funds were routed via firms in Singapore and repatriated through hawala channels; raids were held in Delhi and Goa .
Former Delhi CM Atishi alleged political misuse of the ED, posting a video on X accusing the BJP of targeting AAP.
AAP's Punjab Minister Sanjeev Arora was simultaneously sent to 14 days' judicial custody by a Haryana court in a separate GST fraud case; next hearing on 1 June .
Arvind Kejriwal expressed support for Arora in a post on X .
The Rouse Avenue Court in New Delhi on Monday, 18 May granted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) a 24-hour transit remand of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Deepak Singla, after the central agency produced him before the court and sought custody for further proceedings, according to sources. The arrest follows searches at multiple premises linked to Singla and others in connection with an alleged bank fraud-linked money laundering case.
The Arrest and Raids
Earlier on Monday, ED officers conducted raids at locations in Delhi and Goa linked to Singla and certain alleged hawala operators, following which he was taken into custody. The searches covered multiple premises connected to Singla and several associates before he was formally arrested under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
According to sources, investigators suspect Singla was involved in handling hawala-based fund transfers between Delhi and Goa for the AAP. The probe agency further suspects that funds were routed through firms controlled from Singapore and that portions of the alleged proceeds of crime were later brought back to India through hawala channels for use in illegal activities.
The ₹150 Crore Bank Fraud Allegation
Sources have alleged that Singla, along with his uncle Ashok Kumar Mittal, brother Raman Singla, and Harish Singla, defrauded the Oriental Bank of Commerce of more than ₹150 crore. The ED's ongoing investigation under the PMLA forms the basis of the arrest, though the allegations remain under judicial scrutiny.
AAP's Political Response
Senior AAP leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was misusing central agencies for political purposes. In a video message posted on X, Atishi said: 'Even ED raids will not be able to save the BJP in Goa.'
She drew a parallel with the BJP's alleged use of the ED against the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) during elections in West Bengal. 'The whole country saw how the BJP used the ED against the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. The agency targeted Trinamool Congress leaders during the elections and several party workers were sent to jail,' she said. Atishi further alleged that the ED was used to access organisational data linked to the TMC and claimed that many leaders who later joined the BJP did not face further action.
Second AAP Leader in Custody: Sanjeev Arora
In a separate development on the same day, AAP leader and Punjab Minister Sanjeev Arora was produced before a Haryana court and sent to 14 days' judicial custody. He is scheduled to appear before the court again on 1 June.
Arora was arrested by the ED in Chandigarh on 9 May under PMLA provisions in connection with an alleged GST fraud case linked to a company headed by him. He has denied all allegations, maintaining that the company's mobile phone export operations fully complied with applicable laws.
AAP national convener and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal extended support to Arora in a post on X, saying: '...you are brave. You are patriotic. The whole of Punjab is proud of you.' With two AAP leaders in custody simultaneously, the legal and political pressure on the party is mounting ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.
Point of View
Goa, and Singapore signals an investigation that goes beyond individual actors. Yet the agency's track record of arrests that precede prolonged trials without conviction invites scrutiny of whether process is being used as punishment. AAP's West Bengal parallel is politically convenient but not without factual grounding — the ED's pre-election timing in Bengal drew similar criticism. The real question is whether the courts will find the money trail as compelling as the ED's remand applications suggest.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was AAP leader Deepak Singla arrested by the ED?
Deepak Singla was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on 18 May in connection with an alleged bank fraud-linked money laundering case. Sources allege he and associates defrauded the Oriental Bank of Commerce of more than ₹150 crore and routed funds through hawala channels between Delhi, Goa, and Singapore.
What is transit remand and why was it granted?
A transit remand allows an investigating agency to transport an accused from the jurisdiction of arrest to another court for further proceedings. The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi granted the ED a 24-hour transit remand of Singla to facilitate his custody for the ongoing PMLA investigation.
What has AAP said about the ED action against Deepak Singla?
Senior AAP leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi alleged that the BJP was misusing central agencies for political purposes. In a video posted on X, she said the ED raids would not save the BJP in Goa and drew parallels with the agency's alleged targeting of TMC leaders in West Bengal.
Who else from AAP is currently in ED custody?
Punjab Minister Sanjeev Arora was sent to 14 days' judicial custody by a Haryana court on the same day. He was arrested by the ED in Chandigarh on 9 May under PMLA provisions in a separate alleged GST fraud case linked to a company he headed. He has denied all allegations.
What happens next in the Deepak Singla case?
Following the 24-hour transit remand, the ED is expected to produce Singla before the designated PMLA court for formal custody. The investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act is ongoing, with the agency examining fund flows through Singapore-linked firms and hawala networks.
