SC extends Jain’s interim bail in PMLA case till December 4

New Delhi, November 24

The Supreme Court on Friday extended till December 4 the interim bail granted to senior AAP leader and former Delhi minister Satyendar Kumar Jain in a money laundering case in view of unavailability of Justice AS Bopanna, who headed the Bench hearing his regular bail plea.

Relief extended several times

The top court had on May 26 granted a six-week interim bail to the AAP leader on medical grounds. Since then his interim bail has been extended several times. While extending the interim bail of the senior AAP leader, the top court had earlier asked him not to make the pendency of the case before it a ruse to delay the trial proceedings.

“In the meanwhile, the interim bail, granted earlier, is extended till the next date of hearing,” a Bench led by Justice Bela M Trivedi said, posting the matter for further hearing on December 4.

Arrested on May 30 last year by the ED, Jain is accused of having laundered money through four companies allegedly linked to him. The case emanates from a CBI FIR registered against him in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He has challenged the April 6 order of the Delhi High Court denying him bail in the money laundering case.

The top court had on May 26 granted a six-week interim bail to the AAP leader on medical grounds. Since then his interim bail has been extended several times. While extending the interim bail of the senior AAP leader, the top court had earlier asked him not to make the pendency of the case before it a ruse to delay the trial proceedings.

On April 6, the Delhi High Court had dismissed the bail plea of Jain in a money laundering case, noting the witnesses’ claim that he was the conceptualiser, initiator and fund provider in the alleged crime.

The high court had said the senior AAP leader was an influential person having the potential to tamper with evidence. He was granted regular bail by a trial court on September 6, 2019, in the case registered by the CBI.

The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that the AAP leader was seeking repeated adjournments in the trial court on grounds that his bail plea was pending before the apex court. The probe agency has alleged that Jain has taken as many as 16 dates from the trial court.