The Supreme Court on Monday denied the bail request of former Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain in the money laundering case, instructing him to surrender immediately. A bench comprising Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal dismissed Jain’s appeal, along with the bail plea of the other two co-accused, Ankush and Vaibhav Jain.
Satyendar Jain had been granted interim bail for six weeks on medical grounds on May 26, which was later extended multiple times. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the Enforcement Directorate (ED), presented the trial court and high court’s concurrent findings and other case-related details before the court.
In response, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Jain, highlighted his client’s year-long incarceration, arguing against the conversion of an income tax case into a money laundering matter by investigative agencies. Singhvi urged the court to grant bail to Jain, emphasizing that he posed no flight risk or threat to witnesses and that his liberty was at stake.
Opposing Jain’s bail plea, the Enforcement Directorate contended that Jain frequently sought bail on medical grounds to stay out of jail, often falling ill during court proceedings. However, Jain’s counsel refuted these claims as baseless.
The bail hearing for Jain witnessed various developments in December 2023, with Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud explaining the change in bench composition due to a matter concerning bail extension. Earlier, Jain’s bail plea was partly heard by a bench of Justices AS Bopanna and Bela M. Trivedi, later transferred to a bench comprising Justice Trivedi and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma.
Jain, who underwent surgery in July last year, had his interim bail extended periodically. Conditions imposed by the Supreme Court upon granting interim bail included restrictions on speaking to the media or leaving Delhi without permission.
Challenging the Delhi High Court’s rejection of his bail plea in the money laundering case, Satyendar Jain moved the Supreme Court seeking relief. The Delhi High Court had dismissed Jain’s bail plea on April 6, citing his influential status and potential to tamper with evidence.
Satyendar Jain was arrested on May 30, 2022, under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the Enforcement Directorate, following a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) complaint alleging acquisition of movable properties in various names between February 14, 2015, and May 31, 2017, without satisfactory accounting.
