The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended till September 25, the interim bail to former Delhi minister Satyendar Kumar Jain, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case on May 30, 2022, on medical grounds.
The matter was listed before a bench of Justice A S Bopanna and Justice Bela M Trivedi, which posted the matter for further hearing on September 25.
On May 26, 2023, the Supreme Court granted a six-week interim bail to Satyendar Jain on medical grounds. On July 10, the court extended the interim bail by two weeks.
Jain was given an extension of two weeks after the bench was informed that three hospitals – GB Pant, Apollo, and Max – have recommended surgery.
The ED, which had opposed the grant of interim bail to Jain, alleged that the medical papers being relied upon for interim bail, issued by the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash and the G B Pant Hospital could have been fudged.
The court had brushed aside the ED questioning the veracity of the medical papers produced by Satyendar Jain and its insistence that he be sent for independent examination by AIIMS or R M L Hospital.
While permitting Satyendar Jain to take treatment from a private hospital of his choice, the bench had ordered him to place before the court all the medical papers relating to his treatment during the period of interim bail on the next date of hearing.
Ordering the release of Satyendar Jain, the top court had said that during the period of bail, he will not try to meet or influence the witnesses or leave the NCT Delhi without the permission of the court. It had further directed Jain not to meet or speak to the media on any issue.
Jain, being investigated by ED for alleged money laundering, has approached the top court challenging the April 6 Delhi High Court order dismissing his bail plea. He is facing prosecution under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Special PMLA court had on November 17, 2022, dismissed his bail plea.
Jain was arrested on May 30, 2022, and charged under various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by the Enforcement Directorate and is presently in Judicial Custody.
The ED case is based on a CBI’s complaint alleging that Satyendar Jain had acquired immovable properties in the name of various persons from February 14, 2015, to May 31, 2017, which he could not satisfactorily account for.