SC grants interim bail to former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain on medical grounds

Former Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain has been granted an interim release in a case pertaining to money laundering by the Supreme Court on Friday.

The Supreme Court additionally placed a number of restrictions, including a prohibition on communicating with the media and leaving Delhi without permission. A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and PS Narasimha granted Jain interim release until July 11 and ordered him not to sway witnesses in the case.

The Supreme Court ordered that all relevant treatment papers be submitted before this court. The Supreme Court stated that the order will remain in effect until July 11 and set the subject for further hearing on July 10.

Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who is representing Satyendar Jain, stated that they are seeking bail for health concerns.

ASG SV Raju, representing the Enforcement Directorate (ED), requested that Jain be evaluated by a team of doctors from either AIIMS or Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. He further informed the Supreme Court that he was the Health Minister and that all government hospitals were under his jurisdiction.

Last week, the Supreme Court directed the ED to file a response to Satyendar Jain’s bail petition in a money laundering case, and it also granted Jain the right to petition the top court’s vacation bench for an early hearing on his petition challenging the Delhi High Court’s order dismissing his bail petition in the money laundering case against him. As per Jain’s counsel, he has lost 35 kg and has turned skeletal as a result of this.

Satyendar Jain, a former Delhi minister, had petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn the Delhi High Court’s decision to deny his bail application in the money laundering case against him.
Satyendra Jain’s bail application was denied by the Delhi High Court on April 6.

Earlier High Court refused Satyendar Jain’s bail application

The High Court, as it refused Satyendar Jain’s bail application, indicating that the petitioner is influential and has the capacity to tamper with evidence. At this point, Satyender Jain/applicant cannot be held responsible for failing to meet the dual requirements of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

On March 21, the HC reserved the order following the conclusion of the submissions made by the defence and prosecution sides following repeated sessions.

During the proceedings before the High Court, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, who represented the Enforcement Directorate, stated that the evidence of money laundering against Jain and the other co-accused is unequivocal.

In his bail plea, Jain stated, “I appeared before ED on 7 occasions. I have cooperated and participated in the investigation. I was arrested 5 years down the line in 2022.”

Satyendar Jain’s bail petition was denied by the trial court on November 17, 2022. He was detained on May 30, 2022, by the Enforcement Directorate under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is currently in Judicial Custody in the case.

The ED case is based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) complaint alleging that Satyender Jain acquired moveable properties in the names of numerous people between February 14, 2015, and May 31, 2017, for which he could not account adequately.