24 November,2023 11:25 AM IST | Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Satyendar Jain/ File Photo
The Supreme Court, on Friday, extended the interim bail of former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain in a money laundering case until December 4, an agency report stated. According to the report, his plea for regular bail will be heard on the same day. Justice Bela M Trivedi's bench postponed the hearing due to Justice AS Bopanna's unavailability today.
"In the meanwhile, the interim bail, granted earlier, is extended till the next date of hearing, the bench said.
Earlier, the top court had extended Jain's interim bail until October 9, cautioning him against using the case's pendency as a means to delay the trial. The Enforcement Directorate accused Jain of seeking multiple adjournments in the trial court citing his bail plea pending in the apex court, claiming he had taken 16 dates from the trial court.
Initially granted interim bail for six weeks by the Supreme Court on May 26 for spinal surgery, Jain's interim bail was extended till September 25. The ED arrested Jain on May 30 last year on charges of money laundering through four companies allegedly associated with him, based on a 2017 CBI FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
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While Jain obtained regular bail from the trial court on September 6, 2019, in the case filed by the CBI, the apex court has continued to address his interim bail requests amid ongoing legal proceedings.
Jain, a former Delhi minister, had moved to the apex court after the Delhi High Court dismissed his bail plea; the HC dismissed the application, citing Jain's incapacity to comply with the PMLA's requirements at this time and raising concerns about his influence possibly tampering with evidence.
After several sessions, the High Court wrapped up hearings on March 21 and postponed making a decision until April 6. Under the representation of Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, the Enforcement Directorate presented a convincing case of money laundering against Jain and the other co-accused parties during these proceedings.
In his bail request, Jain emphasised that he had cooperated with the investigation and had attended seven ED sessions prior to his arrest in 2022, which was five years after the alleged incidents.
Jain's bail petition was also denied by the trial court earlier, on November 17, 2022. He was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate on May 30, 2022, in accordance with certain provisions of the PMLA.
The ED's case is based on a CBI complaint that claims Jain failed to provide sufficient accounting for the movable properties he obtained between February 14, 2015, and May 31, 2017, under different names.
