A Delhi court on Monday sent Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Jain to judicial custody for 14 days in connection with a money-laundering case, Live Law reported.
Jain, a minister without a portfolio in the Arvind Kejriwal government, was arrested on May 30 under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Following his arrest, the court had sent him to the Enforcement Directorate’s custody till June 9. It was later extended till June 13.
Jain has also moved a bail application in a special Central Bureau of Investigation court. The case will be heard on June 14.
During the last hearing on June 9, advocate Rishikesh Kumar, who is representing Jain, had told the court that the Delhi minister was suffering from post-Covid sleep apnea, according to The Times of India.
However, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing on behalf of the Enforcement Directorate, on Monday said that the minister’s counsel wants to “raise a hue and cry” about Jain’s medical condition only to secure bail on medical grounds, according to The Indian Express.
Raju said that Jain’s health records showed that there was no medical problem. “Doctors found him physically fit,” the additional solicitor general added. “He is deliberately not taking medicines.”
The case against Jain
The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that five firms – 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 controlled by Jain and his relatives.
The agency claimed that money routed through the companies was used for buying land or for repaying loans taken for buying agricultural land in and around Delhi.
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 May 31, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said that the allegations against Jain are false and that the case was politically motivated. On June 2, the Delhi chief minister had claimed that his deputy Manish Sisodia will soon be the next minister to be arrested after Jain.
On June 7, the Enforcement Directorate had said it has seized Rs 2.85 crore in cash and gold weighing 1.8 kilograms a day after conducting searches on the premises of Jain and his aides in Delhi in connection with the money-laundering case.
Sisodia, however, had claimed that only Rs 2.79 lakh was found in Jain’s home. Citing a seizure memo, he tweeted that the amount was not seized as it was found to be legal.
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