Supreme Court Extends Interim Bail of AAP Leader Satyendar Jain in Money Laundering Case Until September 25
The Supreme Court has once again extended the interim bail for Delhi’s former cabinet minister, Satyendar Jain, in a money laundering case. The decision came from a bench comprising Justices AS Bopanna and Bela M Trivedi. Jain had approached the apex court challenging the Delhi High Court’s decision from April, which had denied him bail.
During the hearing, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Jain, highlighted that his client was undergoing rehabilitation after undergoing a complex spinal operation. Despite opposition from Additional Solicitor-General SV Raju, who pushed for an independent examination by AIIMS and sought the cancellation of the interim bail, the bench decided to defer Jain’s surrender until September 1. The court also scheduled his main bail application to be heard on the same day. However, the hearing was adjourned on September 1 after Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra recused himself from the case.
In the latest hearing, Additional Solicitor-General SV Raju requested an adjournment, suggesting,
“This matter may be kept by consent on September 25. Interim relief may be extended.”
Singhvi concurred with this proposal, leading Justice Bopanna to direct the re-listing of the matter on September 25.
The court also granted interim bail to co-accused Ankush Jain for four weeks on medical grounds, as his child required urgent colon surgery. Another accused, Vaibhav Jain, was granted interim relief for four weeks last month due to his mother’s impending spinal cord operation.
The case against Jain dates back to 2017 when the Central Bureau of Investigation accused him and others of laundering Rs 11.78 crore during 2010-2012 and Rs 4.63 crores during 2015-16. These allegations arose during his tenure as a minister in the Delhi government. The alleged money laundering was conducted through three companies: Paryas Infosolution, Indo Metalimpex, and Akinchan Developers, along with Mangalayatan Projects. Jain was accused of providing funds to Kolkata-based entry operators of various shell companies, who then allegedly rerouted the money as investments through shares in Jain-linked companies.
The Directorate of Enforcement’s case, based on the CBI complaint, alleges that Jain signed conveyance deeds for the purchase of agricultural lands by Prayas Infosolutions in 2011 and 2012. These lands were later transferred to family members of Jain’s associates, who reportedly denied knowledge of the transfers.
In 2021, the ED attached properties worth Rs. 4.81 crores linked to five companies in the case against Jain. These assets were reportedly associated with Akinchan Developers, Indo Metal Impex, Paryas Infosolutions, Mangalayatan Projects, and J.J. Ideal Estate. Jain was taken into custody in connection with the money laundering case on May 30, 2022.
A trial court dismissed Jain’s bail application in November of the previous year, stating that evidence had prima facie shown that Jain was “actually involved” in concealing the proceeds of crime. The Delhi High Court also denied bail in April, citing his influential status and potential to tamper with evidence.
