The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has requested the President’s approval to prosecute former Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain under Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. This move follows an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which claims to have gathered substantial evidence against Jain.
In May 2022, the ED arrested Jain in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged hawala transactions. The case originated from an August 2017 First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), accusing Jain and others of possessing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income. The CBI’s December 2018 chargesheet alleged that Jain’s disproportionate assets amounted to Rs.1.47 crore, approximately 217% more than his declared income between 2015 and 2017.
After spending significant time in custody, Jain was granted bail by a city court, which considered his prolonged incarceration and noted the unlikelihood of the trial commencing soon. He was released on a personal bond of Rs.50,000. However, the MHA’s recent move to seek prosecution sanction indicates ongoing legal challenges for the former minister.
In a related development, the MHA had previously approved a CBI probe against Jain based on allegations by inmate Sukesh Chandrashekhar. Chandrashekhar accused Jain of extorting Rs.10 crore in exchange for protection within Tihar Jail. The CBI’s investigation aims to uncover the veracity of these claims and any potential misconduct during Jain’s tenure as Delhi’s prisons minister.
The AAP has criticized these actions, labeling them as politically motivated. Party spokespersons argue that the central government’s moves are driven by vendetta politics, aiming to tarnish the reputation of AAP leaders. Despite these allegations, the legal proceedings against Jain continue, with both the ED and CBI actively pursuing their respective cases.
This development underscores the ongoing legal scrutiny faced by Satyendar Jain, reflecting the complexities of the cases against him and the broader political implications.
