City Council Candidate Singh Arrested on DUI Suspicion Days Before Election; Police Silent, Toxicology Reports Disputed — Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota tony@tonywebster.com — CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
City Council Candidate Singh Arrested on DUI Suspicion Days Before Election; Police Silent, Toxicology Reports Disputed
Fresno City Council candidate Naindeep Singh was arrested Saturday on suspicion of driving under the influence of a drug, just over a week before Election Day.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Singh, 48, was cited and released by Fresno police. He was not booked into jail, which a department spokesperson called “pretty standard practice for DUI.”
Fresno police refused to provide any details Monday morning about the circumstances of the arrest, probable cause, or alleged signs of intoxication. “We are not providing any additional details on this one,” Sgt. Diana Vega said in an emailed response.
Singh, who serves on the Central Unified school board, has not commented publicly. His campaign said it would release a statement later Monday.
Singh supporters posted what they said were toxicology reports showing Singh tested negative for both drugs and alcohol. At least one supporter called for police to apologize for the arrest.
Police did not respond to questions about those reported toxicology results, except to say results are pending.
The arrest came as Singh’s race for District 1 has drawn attention. His campaign has raised more money than any other local candidate, including his opponent Rob Fuentes.
Fuentes’ campaign moved quickly after the arrest became public. A mass text message Monday morning called on Singh to quit the race.
Some supporters are questioning the timing. Fresno Unified Board President Veva Islas posted a photo on Facebook she said was taken Saturday night shortly before Singh’s arrest, showing Singh and friends at Fern Fest in the Tower District.
“No one was drunk or under the influence of drugs,” Islas wrote. “I’ve known Deep for years. He is a man of faith and conviction. The recent story about him is a targeted attack because Deep is fighting for truth and justice and will expose corruption.”
The Breakdown
- Singh was arrested Saturday, October 24, on suspicion of driving under the influence of a drug — not alcohol specifically.
- He was cited and released, not booked into jail, which the Sheriff’s Office called standard for DUI arrests.
- Police have refused to explain the circumstances, probable cause, or what led them to suspect intoxication.
- Supporters posted what they say are toxicology reports showing Singh tested negative for drugs and alcohol. Police say toxicology results are pending.
- The arrest occurred in a city council race in which Singh has raised more money than any other local candidate.
- Voting is already underway, with Election Day on November 4 — a week and a half after the arrest.
What This Means for You
If you’re voting in Fresno’s District 1 city council race, this arrest is information about a candidate on your ballot. The arrest occurred, Singh has not commented, and police have declined to provide details. Supporters say toxicology tests cleared Singh, while police say results are pending. Singh’s campaign said it would release a statement Monday.
What to Watch
Several questions sit unanswered. Police have given no explanation of what probable cause led to the arrest.
If Singh’s toxicology tests came back negative as supporters claim, why are police saying results are “pending”? Those are two different stories.
The timing raises questions. Singh was arrested the Saturday before an election week, in a race where he’s raised more money than any other local candidate and where his opponent moved within hours to call for him to drop out.
Islas, a sitting school board president, is publicly calling this a “targeted attack.”
Police refuse to discuss the arrest of a public figure running for public office. Singh himself hasn’t spoken. Supporters say he was wrongly arrested and tested clean, while police say nothing.
If supporters’ posted reports show Singh tested negative, police have not explained the arrest. If those reports are incomplete or still awaiting full results as police say, the discrepancy remains unexplained.
The records that would answer these questions — the police report, the arrest narrative, the toxicology results from the arresting agency — exist.
