CBI quizzes Delhi minister Satyendar Jain for hours in money laundering case

Delhi health minister and AAP leader Satyendar Jain is accused of turning black money into white using his companies and Kolkata-based data entry operators.

The CBI on Thursday questioned Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain with regard to a preliminary enquiry (PE) into accusations of money laundering lodged against him around two months ago.

Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain. (HT File Photo)

A PE is conducted to ascertain if accusations levelled against a person or entity merit a probe.

Officials from the investigation agency told HT that Jain’s interrogation began around 11 am, and continued till late evening. The senior Aam Aadmi Party leader may be questioned again, they added.

The CBI had registered the PE on April 11 to probe allegations that Jain had laundered over Rs 4 crore through a network of shell companies. The agency, according to its spokesperson RK Gaur, had filed the PE based on “source information”.

“We called Mr Jain to the CBI headquarters to obtain his response to the allegations levelled against him,” Gaur said.

The charges against Jain include using private companies to launder money since 2010, way before his political career took off. “It was also alleged that Jain laundered around Rs 4.63 crore during 2015-16 through three private firms – Prayas Info Solutions Private Limited, Akinchand Developers Private Limited and Managalyatan Projects Private Limited,” an agency official said.

“Jain is charged with acquiring agriculture land in Delhi worth over Rs 27 crore through private companies, and misusing his official position to regularise illegal colonies in the Capital,” the CBI official said.

Jain rejected the charges, terming the PE as “politically motivated”.