SC grants interim bail to former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain on medical grounds

New Delhi [India], May 26 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to former Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain for six weeks in a money laundering case.

The court also imposed various conditions including neither talking with the media nor leaving Delhi without permission.
A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and PS Narasimha granted interim bail to Jain till July 11 and directed him not to influence witnesses in the matter.

The SC directed that all relevant papers of treatment be produced before this court. The top court said that the order will remain in operation till July 11 and listed the matter for July 10 for further hearing.

The top court also gave Jain to choose any hospital of his choice for his medical treatment. The top court made it clear that interim bail is considered on medical conditions.

Senior Advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for Jain, said that they are seeking bail due to health reasons.

ASG SV Raju, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sought Jain to be examined by a panel of doctors either by AIIMS or Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. He also informed the SC that he was the Health Minister and that government hospitals were under him.

Last week, the top court asked ED to file a reply on Satyendar Jain’s plea seeking bail in a money laundering case and also granted liberty to Jain to move vacation bench of the top court for an early hearing on his plea challenging Delhi High Court order dismissing his bail plea in the money laundering case against him.

Jain’s lawyer had told the top court that he has lost 35 kg and turned skeleton due to this.

Former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain had moved Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court 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 Satyendar Jain’s 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)

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 in High Court, 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.”

On November 17, 2022, the trial court dismissed the bail petition of Satyendar Jain. He was arrested on May 30, 2022, under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by Enforcement Directorate and is presently in Judicial Custody in the case.

The ED case is based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) complaint registered on the allegation that Satyender Jain had acquired movable properties in the name of various persons from February 14, 2015, to May 31, 2017, which he could not satisfactorily account for.