The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday conducted raids at the residence of Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain, who is under the central agency’s custody till June 9 in a money laundering case. News18 has learnt from sources in the ED that the raids going on in seven locations, including that of Jain’s residence, are being conducted as part of a “follow up” in the case.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader was arrested on May 30 under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency had said the previous month that assets worth Rs 4.81 crore of Jain’s family and companies “beneficially owned and controlled” by him were provisionally attached as part of a money laundering probe against him.
The arrest kicked up a row among political circles in the national capital. While the Congress and the BJP asked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to remove him from his cabinet, Kejriwal defended his minister saying the case is “completely fake and politically motivated.”
Former Union minister Kapil Sibal said the Prevention of Money Laundering Act under sections of which he has been taken into custody was a “weapon that often serves not legal but political ends”.
The Delhi High Court on Saturday stayed a trial court order allowing the presence of a lawyer at a visible but not audible distance during the interrogation of Jain.
While remanding Jain to the ED’s custody, the trial court had allowed his plea that during the time of enquiry/investigation of the accused, one advocate of the accused shall be allowed to remain present at a safe distance where he can see the accused but not hear him.
Meanwhile, Kejriwal on Saturday said the conspiracy against Satyendar Jain stands exposed as he claimed the Centre had admitted in court that the AAP leader was not an ‘accused’. The remarks came after some news reports claimed that the ED in the Delhi Hight Court submitted that Jain was not an accused.
The Centre has itself admitted in the court that Satyendar Jain is not an ‘accused’. When he is not an accused, how can they call him corrupt? a statement issued by the AAP quoted Kejriwal as saying.
AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Singh also hit out at the central government and said the BJP is envious because the Delhi government’s mohalla clinics are being praised all over the world, hence they got the city health minister jailed on a fake charge.
With inputs from News18
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