The Supreme Court has slated January 11 for further proceedings on the bail plea of AAP leader Satyendar Jain in a money laundering case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is scheduled to commence its arguments during the upcoming hearing. Jain’s interim bail, extended until further orders, remains effective in the ongoing money laundering case.
Representing Jain, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi advocated for the former minister’s bail, contending that the allegations alone should not justify his continued incarceration until the trial concludes. Singhvi provided a detailed overview of the case against Jain during the hearing.
Initially, none of Jain’s counsels were present in the courtroom at the start of the hearing. To address the absence, Justice Bela Trivedi warned of canceling the interim bail if representation did not arrive within five minutes, prompting the defense counsel to appear promptly.
During the proceedings, the court inquired whether Jain’s counsel had filed any application for discharge or quashing in the predicate offense. Jain’s lawyer informed the court about the arguments on discharge in court, but the probe agency filed an application asserting ongoing further investigation.
Senior Advocate Singhvi guided the court through the latest medical report and the surgery undergone by Jain. In the previous hearing, Singhvi emphasized Jain’s cooperation in the matter and highlighted the absence of any predicate offense against the former minister.
The ED, represented by Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, is set to present its arguments on Thursday. The ongoing legal proceedings have witnessed several twists and turns since December 2023, with Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud explaining the change in the bench combination due to matters related to the extension of bail.
Jain’s bail plea was initially heard by a bench of Justices AS Bopanna and Bela M. Trivedi. Subsequently, the matter was listed before a bench of Justice Trivedi and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma.
Satyendar Jain, seeking bail in money laundering cases, moved to the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court dismissed his bail plea in the same matter. The High Court had stated that Jain, an influential person, could potentially tamper with evidence and couldn’t satisfy the twin conditions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Jain’s arrest on May 30, 2022, under the PMLA led to his present judicial custody. The ED’s case, based on a CBI complaint, alleges that Jain acquired movable properties between February 14, 2015, and May 31, 2017, which he could not satisfactorily account for.