Bail plea of Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain rejected

A local court in Delhi on Saturday quashed the bail application of Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on May 30, for violating the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

On June 13, the Court of Special Judge (PC Act) Geetanjali Goyal had sent Jain to 14 days judicial custody.

His bail application came up for hearing before the same court on June 14, when the Judge reserved its order in the case for today.

The Counsel for ED had earlier submitted that the it had conducted raids at the premises of Ankush Jain, Vaibhav Jain, Naveen Jain and Siddharth Jain, Directors of Ram Prakash Jewellers Pvt Ltd; G.S. Matharoo, Chairman of Lala Sher Singh Jivan Vigyan Trust, the which runs Prudence Group of Schools; Yogesh Kumar Jain, Director in Ram Prakash Jewellers Pvt Ltd; father-in-law of Ankush Jain and Lala Sher Singh Jivan Vigyan Trust.

Several incriminating documents and digital records were seized during search. 

CBI had filed a case in 2017 against the Minister, his wife Poonam Jain, Ajit Prasad Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain, Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain under Section 13(2) read with 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988.

Following this, ED had initiated money laundering investigation in this case. 

CBI filed a charge sheet on December 3, 2018 against all the accused, alleging that Jain, while holding the office as a Minister in the Government of Delhi, between February 14, 2015 to May 31, 2017, had acquired assets, which were disproportionate to his known sources of income.

On March 31, ED provisionally attached the immovable properties worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to the companies beneficially owned and controlled by Jain. The Minister was arrested on May 30 under Section 19 of PMLA. 

 
The Counsel for Jain had submitted before the court his client was not a flight-risk accused and since most of evidence in the case was documentary, so it cannot be tampered with. He further said that Jain has always cooperated with the investigating agency in this matter.

The Counsel sought bail on medical grounds, claiming that Jain was suffering from sleep apnea. He contended that Jain was a Minister and having deep roots in the society. 

The Counsel for ED opposed the bail application by submitting that in this matter, investigation was still going on and evidence may be tampered with, if Jain was granted bail at this stage.

He also submitted that Jain was evasive during the investigation.