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The Delhi High Court on Monday issued a notice seeking a response from Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Jain regarding the Enforcement Directorate’s plea to defer the trial court proceedings in a money laundering case related to alleged disproportionate assets.
The ED contended that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently filed a supplementary chargesheet, revealing a higher quantum of illicit funds than previously assessed.
Consequently, the ED indicated its intention to file a supplementary prosecution complaint and requested the trial court hearing be postponed. The agency was represented by special counsel Zoheb Hossain.
Acknowledging these submissions, Justice Vikas Mahajan scheduled the hearing for March 3, 2025. During the proceedings, Senior Advocate N. Hariharan, appearing on behalf of Satyendar Jain, stated that he would clarify his position in a written response.
Previously, Jain had approached the Delhi High Court seeking a deferment of the trial court hearing, arguing that the investigation was ongoing and had not yet reached a conclusive stage. In his petition, Jain asserted that it would be in the interest of justice for arguments on charges to be heard only after the completion of the investigation.
The petition emphasized that if the investigating agency possesses material potentially exculpating the accused, the court must consider such evidence when forming a prima facie determination.
Furthermore, Jain’s petition referenced a CBI status report on the predicate offence, which indicated that further investigation remains necessary. This includes scrutinizing multiple transactions, collecting records from various governmental departments, and examining witnesses from diverse societal backgrounds, all of which involve voluminous documentation.
The petition underscored that the outcome of these investigative efforts would be crucial in determining the extent of the proceeds of crime.
The trial court had previously granted bail to Jain, citing his prolonged incarceration of 18 months as a significant factor in its decision. Jain was initially arrested by the ED in May 2022, with the agency alleging that he laundered illicit proceeds through four companies purportedly linked to him.
The money laundering case originated from a CBI investigation, which led to the ED’s subsequent inquiry into financial transactions involving three additional entities allegedly associated with Jain.
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