CBI court extends Delhi minister Satyendar Jain’s custody

Special judge Geetanjli Goel passed the order on a plea moved by the Enforcement Directorate seeking extension of Jain’s custody after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, who is hospitalised, appeared for the hearing through a video conference.

A special CBI court on Monday extended by two weeks the judicial custody of state health minister Satyendar Jain, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case.

Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain was arrested on charges of money laundering on May 30.

Special judge Geetanjli Goel passed the order on a plea moved by the Enforcement Directorate seeking extension of Jain’s custody after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, who is hospitalised, appeared for the hearing through a video conference.

Earlier during the day, the judge refused to entertain the plea noting that neither Jain nor any lawyer representing him was present before the court during the proceedings.

After being told that Jain was hospitalised, the court directed the Enforcement Directorate to ensure Jain’s presence before it later in the day through video conference.

Advocate Zohaib Husain and NK Matta for Enforcement Directorate argued that the Jain should be remanded further judicial custody as the investigation is still on.

They argued that during the searches on two occasions on June 8 and 17 at different premises, several incriminating pieces of evidence were recovered. The evidence was being analysed and to be confronted with the people connected with the offence of money laundering. “We are in the process of filing of Enforcement Directorate complaint (charge sheet),” they said.

The judge heard the arguments on the agency’s plea and extended the politician’s judicial custody for 14 days.

Jain has maintained he has co-operated at every stage after the agency called him multiple times in the last five years, and denied all allegations. He has also submitted that has no connection with others named in the case, and even though the surnames match, there is no relation between them.

Jain was arrested on May 30. The ED case is based on a 2017 CBI FIR lodged against the Delhi minister.