Today, On 18th February, President Droupadi Murmu granted prosecution sanction against AAP leader Satyendar Jain, the former Delhi Health Minister. The sanction sought under Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. This decision allows legal proceedings to move forward against Jain. The 60-year-old leader faces serious charges, and the sanction paves the way for further action.
New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu granted permission to prosecute Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain in a money-laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate, according to a senior government official.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sought the prosecution sanction under Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) last week. The request was based on findings from the ED investigation and sufficient evidence.
This money-laundering case originates from an August 2017 FIR filed against Mr. Jain and others by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which accused them of possessing disproportionate assets.
The CBI submitted a chargesheet in December 2018, alleging that Mr. Jain’s disproportionate assets amounted to Rs 1.47 crore, which was approximately 217% more than his known sources of income during the period from 2015 to 2017.
In October of the previous year, a city court granted bail to the former Delhi minister, citing the delays in the trial and his extended incarceration of 18 months.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne stated,
“Considering the delay in trial and the prolonged incarceration of 18 months, along with the fact that the trial will take a considerable time to commence and conclude, the accused is well-suited for relief.”
Jain was arrested by the investigative agency in May 2022 in connection with a money-laundering case involving alleged hawala transactions. At the time of his detention by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Jain held multiple portfolios, including health and power, in the Delhi government.
The Ministry of Home Affairs requested presidential sanction to prosecute the 60-year-old former Delhi health minister under Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), based on findings from the ED investigation and sufficient evidence.
This section outlines the process for initiating legal proceedings against public servants and judges for alleged misconduct during their tenure. Sources suggest that the ED intends to submit a supplementary charge sheet to inform the court about the President’s approval for the prosecution.
According to a report , the ED has already interrogated Jain, his close associates, and family members about a money trail aimed at establishing the source of around Rs 27.7 crore used by five shell companies Prayas Infosolutions Pvt Ltd, Indo Metal Impex Pvt Ltd, JJ Ideal Estate Pvt Ltd, Akinchan Developers Pvt Ltd, and Mangalyatan Projects Pvt Ltd to purchase 123 acres from 14 individuals. Jain’s chartered accountant, JP Mohta, along with three Kolkata-based hawala operators Jivendra Mishra, Abhishek Chokhani, and Rajendra Bansal claimed in their recorded statements that,
“All the (five) shell companies incorporated by Jain were actually controlled by him through his wife, relatives, and other close associates.”
They corroborated that cash was paid to the hawala dealers and that “entries” (unsecured loans) were received in the shell companies. The ED asserted that these five shell companies spent Rs 27.69 crore to acquire the land parcels. Jain served as a minister in the AAP government in Delhi from December 28, 2013, to February 14, 2014, and again from February 2015 until his arrest in 2022.
Also Read: Supreme Court Extends Interim Bail for Satyendar Jain in Money Laundering Case
Satyendar Jain, a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been under investigation for several months over accusations of money laundering and corruption during his time as the Delhi Health Minister. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a case against Jain and others, alleging their involvement in illegal financial transactions. Jain is accused of using hawala channels to launder money and taking bribes in exchange for land deals.
Apart from money laundering, Jain is also facing charges of corruption and misuse of his position, which led to the ED’s probe into his financial activities. The investigation uncovered a series of transactions aimed at hiding the sources of the illicit funds.