AAP leader & former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain’s bail extended till Dec 14

Jain has been out on interim bail on medical grounds since May in a case of alleged money laundering probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The Supreme Court on Monday extended the interim bail of former Delhi minister Satyendra Jain till December 14, which will give his lawyers time to seek clarification from the Chief Justice of India (CJI) for listing the case before a special bench constituted for this purpose. Jain has been out on interim bail on medical grounds since May in a case of alleged money laundering probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

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

On Monday, the matter came before a bench of justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the former minister, said that he would like to mention the matter before the CJI as it had earlier been heard at length by a specially constituted bench of justice AS Bopanna and justice Trivedi. As justice Bopanna is not holding court due to illness, the matter came up before the bench headed by justice Trivedi on December 4, when it told Singhvi that it will verify from the registry whether the matter is required to be heard by the special bench. The matter was adjourned by a week.

The registry again placed the case before the bench led by justice Trivedi. “It has come on the regular board,” she said, indicating that the matter will now be heard by this bench. Singhvi, assisted by advocate Vivek Jain, said, “We intend to mention it before the CJI. Have it listed on December 14.”

Read Here: Can’t remain out for long on interim bail, SC says on Satyendar Jain’s bail plea

Additional solicitor general (ASG) SV Raju, appearing for ED, submitted that interim bail should be cancelled if the if the matter is adjourned. “The order of interim bail should be vacated,” Raju said, requesting the court to have the matter heard on December 13. Singhvi pointed out that he needed time to mention before the CJI who will be sitting in a constitution bench for the next two days. The court acceded to that request and posted the case on Thursday.

The former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) minister was granted interim bail on medical grounds on May 26 and it has since been extended on numerous occasions.

Jain has been accused of laundering money through four companies allegedly linked to him. He was arrested in May last year and 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 him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Jain, who has denied any wrongdoing, approached the top court on April 6 against a Delhi high court that denied 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 apnea.

He claimed to have lost 35kg 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.