Bail petitions are not to be unnecessarily adjourned, the Supreme Court observed on Tuesday as it urged the Delhi High Court to decide without delay on an application filed by Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Jain in a money-laundering case, Live Law reported.
A vacation bench of Justices Manoj Misra and SVN Bhatti was hearing the former Delhi health minister’s challenge against a High Court order on May 28 that issued notice on his default bail petition but adjourned the matter to July 9.
“It goes without saying that bail prayers are not unnecessarily to be adjourned and thus we hope and pray that High Court takes a call on the matter when it is listed next,” the court said, according to Bar and Bench.
At the hearing, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Jain, noted that the petition was adjourned by the High Court for six weeks. “Six weeks adjournment over the vacation,” he remarked. “Earlier it was held that such cases be dealt with within a week.”
In response, the bench said: “We will observe that [the] High Court will ensure that [the] matter is decided [fast],” Bar and Bench reported.
Jain, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in May 2022, is accused of having laundered money through four companies allegedly linked to him. The Central Bureau of Investigation had filed a case in August 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act. A year later, it filed a chargesheet against the former Delhi minister, his wife and four of his associates.
In April 2022, the Enforcement Directorate had attached immovable property worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to Akinchan Developers Private Limited, Indo Metal Impex Private Limited, Paryas Infosolutions Private Limited, Manglayatan Projects Private Limited and JJ Ideal Estate Private Limited.
The Enforcement Directorate had told a trial court that these firms were only paper companies that did not earn any income and Jain was in “de facto control” of them.
In May 2023, Jain was granted interim bail by the top court on medical grounds after he was hospitalised following complaints of breathing problems. He returned to jail after about nine months on March 18 after the Supreme Court rejected his regular bail petition.
The Supreme Court had also cancelled his interim bail and asked him to surrender immediately.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!