In connection with a money laundering case, the Supreme Court on Thursday extended the interim bail granted to former Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Kumar Jain till January 8.
The top court was hearing a petition filed by Jain challenging the April 6 order of the Delhi High Court dismissing his bail application in the case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and SC Sharma granted relief to Jain after noting that he suffered a fracture in the leg on December 9. "Without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, we are inclined to extend interim order," the bench said.
Jain is currently on interim bail
However, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju opposed the prayer claiming he was not cooperating in the investigation. Jain, who had moved the top court for bail, is currently on interim bail on health grounds.
Earlier on May 26, the apex court granted the former Delhi minister interim bail on medical grounds for six weeks and it is being extended from time to time.
The ED had arrested the AAP leader on May 30 last year on the charge of laundering money through four companies allegedly linked to him. It had arrested Jain on the basis of a CBI FIR registered against him in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Jain, who has denied these allegations, was granted regular bail by the trial court on September 6, 2019, in the case registered by the CBI.
Jain challenged Delhi HC order
It should be mentioned here that the former Delhi minister has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court order dismissing his bail plea in the money laundering case against him. On April 6, the Delhi High Court dismissed the bail plea of Jain. The HC while dismissing the bail plea stated that the applicant is an influential person and has the potential of tampering with evidence.
The ED case is based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) complaint registered on the allegation that Satyender Jain had acquired movable properties in the name of various persons from February 14, 2015, to May 31, 2017, which he could not satisfactorily account for.
(With inputs from agencies)
