Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi government minister, Satyendar Jain, was granted bail by a Delhi court on Friday. The Rouse Avenue Court, while approving the bail, remarked that the trial in the money laundering case against Jain is not expected to conclude soon. Jain was arrested in May 2022 in connection with this case, and he has also filed a petition seeking bail in the Supreme Court.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne said, "Considering the delay in trial and long incarceration of 18 months, and the fact that trail will take long to start, let alone conclude, accused is favourably suited for the relief."
The judge granted the relief on a bail bond Rs 50,000 with two sureties of like amount.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched its investigation against Satyendar Jain based on a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 24, 2017. According to the charges, between February 14, 2015, and May 31, 2017, Jain purchased movable properties in the names of various individuals. He was unable to provide satisfactory explanations for these transactions. Other individuals involved in the case include Poonam Jain, Ajit Prasad Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain, Vaibhav Jain, and Ankush Jain, against whom cases have also been registered.
SC Had Earlier Granted Bail for Medical Treatment
On May 26, 2023, the Supreme Court granted Jain six weeks of bail based on his medical condition, allowing him to seek treatment. His bail period was scheduled to end on July 11. During the court proceedings for his bail plea, the court stated that while Jain could receive treatment in a private hospital, he was not permitted to influence any witnesses or leave Delhi. The court also ordered him to submit a report on his medical treatment by July 10.
Jain had been in custody since May 31, 2022. After the Delhi High Court rejected his bail request on April 6, 2023, Jain appealed to the Supreme Court, which granted him bail for 42 days after nearly 360 days in custody.
Satyendar Jain faced several health challenges during his time in jail. On May 25, 2023, he reportedly slipped and fell in the washroom of Tihar Jail, leading to his admission to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital. Later that afternoon, when his condition worsened, he was transferred to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital, where he was placed on oxygen support. During that week, Jain had been hospitalized three times, highlighting the severity of his health issues.