The Supreme Court on Monday extended interim bail given to former Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain on medical ground till further orders.
A bench of Justice A.S. Bopanna and Justice M.M. Sundresh extended the interim bail to Satyendar Jain as senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appraised the bench of report by three hospitals – GB Pant, Appollo, and Max – recommending surgery.
The bench posted the matter for he34aring on July 24.
Raising doubts about the reports by three hospitals, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju appearing for the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) urged the bench to ask Jain to undergo medical examination at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, for an independent evaluation.
The court noted that two medical reports have been brought on record and one more is to be brought on record and asked it to bring on record and furnish the copy to ASG Raju.
On May 26, despite stiff resistance from ED, the top court had granted interim bail for six weeks on medical grounds to Satyendar Jain. The ED had alleged that the medical papers being relied upon for interim bail issued by the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash and the G.B. Pant Hospitals could have been fudged.
The court had brushed aside the ED’s objections to 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 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 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 Enforcement Directorate and is presently in Judicial Custody.
The ED case is based on a CBI’s complaint alleging that Satyendar Jain had acquired movable properties in the name of various persons from February 14, 2015, to May 31, 2017, which he could not satisfactorily account for.