Bail can’t go on ‘for so long’, says SC while extending relief to Jain

AAP leader Satyendar Jain got interim bail on medical grounds on May 26, which has been extended on many occasions, pending consideration of his regular bail plea.

The Supreme Court on Monday extended till next week the interim medical bail granted to former Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Jain six months ago, but said the bail cannot go on “for so long”.

Satyendar Jain has been accused of laundering money through four companies allegedly linked to him. He was arrested in May last year. (HT Photo)

The court was examining a petition filed by Jain seeking regular bail. The AAP leader got interim bail on medical grounds on May 26, which has been extended on many occasions, pending consideration of his regular bail plea.

On Monday, a bench of justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma observed, “We have to consider further extension of our interim order. It cannot go on for so long.”

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing with advocate Vivek Jain for former Delhi minister, requested the court to adjourn the matter, pointing out that on earlier occasions, the case was heard by a specially constituted bench of justices AS Bopanna and Bela M Trivedi. As justice Bopanna is on leave due to illness, Singhvi requested that the matter come up before the same bench where he made considerable arguments.

Justice Trivedi said, “I have been told this matter has been assigned to this bench for hearing in regular course. I will verify it again,” while posting the matter for hearing on December 11.

Jain has been accused of laundering money through four companies allegedly linked to him. He was arrested in May last year in a money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Subsequent to the probe, ED attached assets worth ₹4.81 crore belonging to these companies last year. The ED probe began pursuant to a 2017 case registered against Jain by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Jain had approached the top court against a Delhi high court order of April 6 refusing him bail. In his appeal before the top court, he complained of facing depression, patch on lungs after suffering from Covid-19 last year, acute lumbar pain and associated vertigo, degeneration of intervertebral discs, and sleep apnoea.

He claimed to have lost 35 kilos in jail and had to be admitted to the intensive care unit of LNJP hospital in May after he fell in the jail bathroom.

Since getting interim bail from the top court, Jain had to undergo a spinal operation on July 21 following which his interim bail was extended on multiple occasions.

Jain had told the Court on an earlier occasion that following his surgery, doctors advised him to take physiotherapy, aquatic exercises, with limited body movements which cannot be possible if he surrenders. ED had agreed to provide all the necessary treatment in custody and insisted on his surrender.