The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail for six weeks on medical grounds to former Delhi minister and AAP leader Satyendar Jain in the money laundering case. A bench of Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice Sanjay Karol agreed to list the matter for hearing on May 26 after senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Jain, sought an urgent hearing of the plea on health grounds.
Ahead of the hearing, the Enforcement Directorate filed its response in the apex court. In its response, ED said that Jain has been using his influence in Delhi to get false reports about his illness from the hospital. The agency further alleged that the former Delhi minister submitted a report of LNJP hospital in the apex court, which was previously rejected by the Delhi High Court.
The ED also said that in cases linked to Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002, the bail is granted on the ground of illness only when there is a danger to life. Jain’s health check-up should be done in a hospital, which is not under the Delhi government, the investigation agency further stated in its response.
Jain was hospitalised due to a spine injury and is currently on oxygen support. Tihar jail officials have said that the former minister fell in the bathroom in the morning. This comes after he was taken to the Safdarjung Hospital on Monday to inspect a spinal problem. He was examined by doctors for a second opinion after he was taken to the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hospital on Saturday.
Last week, Jain moved the apex court seeking bail in the case against him. He had challenged the Delhi High Court’s order dismissing his bail plea in the money laundering case against him. On April 6, the Delhi High Court dismissed the bail plea of Satyendra Jain. The HC while dismissing the Satyendar Jain bail plea stated that the applicant is an influential person and has the potential of tampering with evidence. Satyender Jain/applicant, at this stage, can’t be held to clear the twin conditions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), as reported by the news agency ANI.
The HC had kept the order reserved on March 21 after the conclusion of the submissions made by the defence and prosecution sides after multiple hearings. During arguments, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju appeared for Enforcement Directorate contented that money laundering is crystal clear against Jain and other co-accused.In his bail plea, Jain stated, “I appeared before ED on 7 occasions. I have cooperated and participated in the investigation. I was arrested 5 years down the line in 2022,” as quoted by ANI.
