Supreme Court reserves verdict on regular bail plea of Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Jain in money laundering case. Bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal heard arguments of senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi and Additional Solicitor General SV Raju representing the Enforcement Directorate. The ED had arrested the AAP leader on May 30, 2022 on the charge of laundering money through four companies allegedly linked to him.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India today(17/01/2024) has reserved its verdict on the bail plea of former Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain, who is embroiled in a money laundering case. This development follows a series of arguments presented by both Jain’s counsel and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) counsel.
Representing the ED, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju detailed the concurrent findings of the trial court and high court, along with other case-related specifics. In response, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Jain, highlighted that his client has been incarcerated for over a year. Singhvi criticized the ED’s approach, stating,
“The probe agency is trying to convert an income tax case into a money laundering matter.”
He urged the Supreme Court to grant bail to Jain, emphasizing that he is neither a flight risk nor a threat to witnesses, and underscored the issue as a matter of Jain’s life and liberty.
The ED has strongly opposed Jain’s bail plea, alleging a pattern in his behavior. The agency claimed that Jain frequently sought bail on medical grounds to stay in the hospital and that there were suspicious coincidences of him falling ill whenever bail arguments were scheduled in court. Jain’s counsel dismissed these allegations as baseless.
The hearing of Jain’s bail plea witnessed several twists in December 2023. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud explained the reason for listing the matter before different combinations of benches, citing a related matter regarding the extension of bail. CJI Chandrachud also mentioned a communication from Justice AS Bopanna, who was unable to hear the matter due to medical reasons.
Initially, Jain’s bail plea was partly heard by a bench comprising Justices AS Bopanna and Bela M. Trivedi. Later, it was listed before a bench of Justice Trivedi and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma. Jain underwent surgery on July 21 last year, and his interim bail on medical grounds has been extended periodically.
The Supreme Court had previously granted Jain interim bail for six weeks in the money laundering case on May 26, imposing conditions including a prohibition on media interactions and leaving Delhi without permission.
Jain has challenged the Delhi High Court’s dismissal of his bail plea in the money laundering case. The High Court, in its April 6 ruling, stated that Jain, being an influential person, has the potential to tamper with evidence and thus does not meet the twin conditions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
During the High Court hearings, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the ED, contended that the money laundering charges against Jain and other co-accused were clear. Jain, in his bail plea, asserted,
“I appeared before the ED on seven occasions. I have cooperated and participated in the investigation. I was arrested five years down the line in 2022.”
Jain was arrested on May 30, 2022, under sections of the PMLA by the Enforcement Directorate and has been in judicial custody since. The ED’s case is based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) complaint alleging that Jain acquired movable properties in the names of various persons between February 14, 2015, and May 31, 2017, which he could not satisfactorily account for.
This case continues to be a focal point in Indian politics and law enforcement, highlighting the ongoing battle against corruption and money laundering in the country. The Supreme Court’s impending decision on Jain’s bail plea is eagerly awaited, as it will have significant implications for both the political and legal landscapes.
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