On Tuesday(18th June),The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing of Punjab AAP MLA Jaswant Singh Gajjan Majra’s plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case to July 1. The adjournment was requested by the ED’s counsel, and follows the Supreme Court’s earlier denial of interim bail and the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s dismissal of Majra’s plea.
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NEW DELHI: On Tuesday(18th June), The Supreme Court adjourns the hearing of a plea filed by Punjab Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Jaswant Singh Gajjan Majra. The plea challenges his arrest and remand by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering investigation connected to a bank fraud case.
The hearing has been adjourned to July 1.
A vacation bench consisting of Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti decided to defer the hearing as the counsel representing the ED requested an adjournment. Earlier, the Supreme Court had denied interim bail to Jaswant Singh Gajjan Majra, preventing him from campaigning for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. On May 24, the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed his plea challenging his arrest, prompting him to approach the Supreme Court.
Background:
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had conducted raids in May 2023 at premises linked to Majra in connection with an alleged bank fraud amounting to Rs 40 crore. The investigation was part of a larger probe into financial irregularities involving multiple entities.
In September 2022, the Enforcement Directorate conducted its own raids on several locations associated with Majra. These raids were part of a money laundering investigation tied to the same bank fraud case. During these operations, the ED seized Rs 32 lakh in cash, along with several mobile phones and hard drives.
Initially, the Punjab and Haryana High Court rejected Majra’s plea, which challenged his arrest. This decision led Majra to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court, seeking relief from his arrest and remand by the ED. However, the Supreme Court also denied interim bail, which was a significant setback for Majra, especially during the critical period of the Lok Sabha elections.
During the hearing on Tuesday, the Supreme Court’s vacation bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti, considered the request from the ED’s counsel for an adjournment. Consequently, the court decided to defer the hearing to July 1. This e xtension provides both parties more time to prepare their arguments and gather necessary evidence for the case.
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