A day after the Enforcement Directorate arrested Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain in a money laundering case, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the allegations were false.
In a live address on Twitter, Kejriwal said the Aam Aadmi Party leaders are “hardcore patriots”.
“We can get beheaded but can never betray the country,” he added. “We don’t sell our souls.”
Earlier in the day, Kejriwal had said the case was politically motivated.
“I have studied the case against Jain,” Kejriwal added. “We have faith in the judiciary. Jain is following an honest path. He will get a clean chit, and the fake case will not last.”
Jain was sent to Enforcement Directorate custody till June 9 on Tuesday, a day after he was arrested under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. In April, the Enforcement Directorate had attached immovable property worth Rs 4.81 crore allegedly belonging to companies linked to Jain and his relatives.
On Tuesday, Kejriwal said that the Delhi government and the Aam Aadmi Party are honest and do not tolerate corruption.
Referring to the Aam Aadmi Party government’s decision last week to sack Punjab Health Minister Vijay Singla on corruption charges, Kejriwal said that the party took action instead of suppressing the evidence.
Singla was sacked on May 24 from the Bhagwant Mann-led Cabinet and was arrested by the Punjab Anti-Corruption Cell for allegedly demanding Rs 1.16-crore as bribes for allotting construction projects and a 1% commission in future contracts.
Allegations against Jain
The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that Akinchan Developers Private Limited, Indo Metal Impex Private Limited, Paryas Infosolutions Private Limited, Manglayatan Projects Private Limited and JJ Ideal Estate Private Limited are shell companies belonging to Jain and his relatives.
The money routed through them was used for buying land or for repaying loans taken for buying agricultural land in and around Delhi, the agency alleged.
The agency had earlier questioned the Aam Aadmi Party leader in connection with the matter in 2018.
In May 2018, the Central Bureau of Investigation had also filed a case against Jain, accusing him of corruption in the hiring of a creative team for the public works department. Jain also holds the public works department portfolio in the Delhi government. However, earlier this year, it filed a closure report before a Delhi court, citing a lack of evidence.
Ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections, in January, Kejriwal had said that Jain would likely be arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.
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