NEW DELHI, Feb. 14 -- The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approached the President of India for sanction to prosecute former Delhi Minister and AAP leader Satyendar Jain under Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The request follows an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which presented evidence supporting the case against Jain.
According to officials, the MHA's move is based on substantial material gathered by the ED. "Sufficient evidence has been found to grant the sanction," an official statement revealed. The case stems from an investigation into alleged financial misconduct during Jain's tenure as a Delhi government minister from 2015 to 2017. The ED's probe links Jain to a series of financial irregularities involving the accumulation of disproportionate assets.
The Enforcement Directorate claims that Jain, with the help of his family and associates, funnelled large sums of money through shell companies, receiving Rs 4.8 crore in accommodation entries through hawala operators based in Kolkata. Jain's involvement in these alleged transactions is central to the charges against him. The Delhi High Court had recently rejected bail pleas from two other accused, Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain, noting the gravity of the charges.
Jain's legal team, led by senior counsel N. Hariharan, has argued that Jain has already spent 18 months in custody while awaiting trial. His defense pointed out the extensive documentation and the large number of witnesses involved, making the trial a lengthy process. Jain's lawyers have also referred to other high-profile cases, including the excise policy case, where accused individuals were granted bail despite serious charges.
The ED opposed bail, citing concerns that Jain could influence witnesses. The President will now review
the MHA's request.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.