On AAP leader Satyendar Jain's bail plea, Delhi court issues notice to Enforcement Directorate

The trial court had dismissed the bail plea of Satyendar Jain. The AAP leader was arrested on May 30 under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by the ED and is presently in judicial custody in the case.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday (December 1) issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Delhi's jailed Minister Satyendar Jain, in a money laundering case. Appearing for the AAP leader, Sr Advocate N Hariharan said, "I have appeared before the ED on seven occasions. I have cooperated and participated in the investigation. I was arrested five years down the line in 2022."

Noting down the submissions, Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma sought a response from the probe agency within two weeks and fixed the matter for December 20, 2022.

Earlier last month, the trial court had dismissed the bail plea of Satyendar Jain. The AAP leader was arrested on May 30 under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by the ED and is presently in judicial custody in the case.

In his bail plea in Delhi High Court, Jain reportedly stated that the trial court judge and ED have gravely misread and misapplied the PMLA by identifying proceeds of crime solely on the basis of accommodation entries. That accommodation entries cannot itself lead to a punishable offence under PMLA.

While dismissing the bail plea, the Rouse Avenue Court said that Jain had knowingly carried out such activities to obliterate the tracing of the source of ill-gotten money and accordingly, the proceeds of crime were layered through Kolkata-based entry operators in a way that its source was difficult to decipher.

Hence, the AAP leader has prima facie indulged in the offence of money laundering of more than Rs 1 crore. In view of the Supreme Court, money laundering is a serious economic offence.

With this, the AAP leader is not entitled to the benefit of bail with regard to the twin conditions provided in Section 45 of the PMLA. The application of Jain is dismissed, said trial court Judge Vikas Dhull.