NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday extended till January 8 next year the interim bail granted to former Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Kumar Jain who is indicted in a money laundering case.
A two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Bela M Trivedi and comprising Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, granted the relief to Jain after noting that he suffered a leg fracture on December 9. Without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, we are inclined to extend interim order,” the bench said.
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju opposed the prayer claiming Jain was not cooperating in the investigation. Jain is currently on interim bail on health grounds. The apex court had for the first time granted medical bail to Jain on May 26 and the same has since been extended on multiple occasions.
According to the prosecution, ED has registered a case against Jain on the basis of a CBI complaint on the allegation that he had illegally acquired movable properties in the name of various persons, which he could not satisfactorily account for, and thereby an FIR was registered against him following his arrest. Jain was arrested by the ED on May 30, 2022 under relevant sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
In a related development, Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud on Thursday clarified that Jain’s bail plea was listed before a bench headed by Justice Bela M Trivedi as Justice A S Bopanna was unavailable due to illness.
He made the remark in the context of a row that has erupted in the top court after two lawyers, Dushyant Dave and Prashant Bhushan, wrote letters to him voicing their angst over “certain happenings” in the listing of cases and their reallocation to benches other than those that were supposed to hear them. “It is very easy to fling allegations and letters. There is a communication from the office of Justice (A S) Bopanna. Due to medical reasons, he did not resume duties after Diwali,” the CJI said.
Concerned judge will take decision, CJI tells counsel Earlier in the day, the CJI refused to allow the prayer made by Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Satyendar Jain, to adjourn his hearing by a bench headed by Justice Trivedi, saying the judge concerned will take the decision regarding the case.
