Money laundering case: HC seeks Satyendar Jain’s response on ED plea to defer arguments on charges

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought a response from AAP leader Satyendar Jain on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking to defer arguments on framing of charges in a money laundering case against him.

Justice Vikas Mahajan issued a notice to Jain on the ED’s application. The HC has listed the matter for further hearing on March 3.

In its application, the ED urged the court to direct the special court to defer the hearing on the point of charge until a supplementary prosecution complaint (charge sheet) is filed. The agency argued that the development in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case necessitated this delay.

“To a limited extent, I am agreeable to what the petitioner (Jain) is saying that till the time we file the supplementary prosecution complaint, defer the hearing on charges,” the ED’s counsel submitted.

“No prejudice will be caused to the petitioner because that was also his prayer in the main petition,” the counsel said.

The counsel further informed the court that the CBI had filed a supplementary chargesheet in the scheduled offence before the trial court on January 3, increasing the quantum of disproportionate assets from Rs 1.47 crore to Rs 3.95 crore.

“Deferment is imperative to enable the ED to file a supplementary chargesheet in view of the developments in the CBI case,” he added.

Jain, who was arrested by the ED on May 30, 2022, and granted bail on October 18, 2024, has sought deferring of arguments on charges, contending that the investigation is yet to be completed.

He has challenged a trial court’s September 4, 2024, order dismissing his plea to delay the proceedings. In his petition, he submitted, “If the investigating agency is in possession of material, which may exculpate the accused in any manner, the court is bound to consider such material at the time of forming a prima facie view.”

Jain, a former Delhi health minister, was accused of money laundering through four companies allegedly linked to him. The ED had arrested him in connection with a money laundering case based on a CBI FIR registered in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The AAP leader was granted regular bail by a trial court on September 6, 2019, in the CBI case. In 2022, the trial court took cognisance of the prosecution complaint filed by the ED against Jain, his wife, and eight others, including four firms.