Delhi Rouse Avenue Court on Friday granted bail to senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyender Jain in the money laundering case filed against him by the Enforcement Directorate. The AAP leader has been behind the bars since May 2022 when he was arrested by the investigation agency.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Court granted bail to Satyender Jain considering the prolonged trial and incarceration of about 18 months. The AAP leader was on medical bail between May 2023 and March 2024.
Earlier in November 2022, the trial court had rejected Satyender Jain’s bail plea. Subsequently, he challenged the order before the Delhi High Court. Later in April 2023, the High Court also rejected his plea.
The Supreme Court also denied him bail in March this year. A Bench of Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal stated that AAP leader Satyender Jain was released on bail on medical grounds on May 30, 2023, which has to be continued till this day. The top court bench added that the AAP leader now has to surrender before the Special Court.
Initially, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered a case under Sections 13(2) (criminal misconduct by public servant) read with 13(e) (disproportionate assets) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against Satyendar Jain.
Reportedly, the case was registered on the allegation that Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Jain had acquired movable properties in the name of various persons between 2015 and 2017 which he could not satisfactorily account for.
Later, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had also registered a case and alleged several companies beneficially owned and controlled by the AAP leader received accommodation entries amounting to Rs 4.81 crore from shell companies against cash transferred to Kolkata-based entry operators through a hawala route.