The Centre on Thursday granted sanction to prosecute Delhi minister Satyendar Jain in a disproportionate assets case.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) granted sanction to the CBI to prosecute Jain in a case related to alleged possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered the case on August 24, 2017.
The CBI has claimed that Jain allegedly purchased 200 bighas of agricultural land in the names of companies controlled by him in Delhi during lasts five years and "laundered black money" to the tune of several crore of rupees.
"The Ministry of Home Affairs has granted sanction of prosecution to prosecute Satyendra Kumar Jain, Minister in Government of NCT of Delhi, in a case registered by CBI in August 24, 2017 for acquiring assets disproportionate to his known sources of income," an official said.
Commenting on the matter, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the BJP-ruled Centre got a case registered against his cabinet colleague Satyendar Jain for working for regularising Delhi's unauthorised colonies.
He also attacked the BJP, saying it is an "enemy" of the people of the city.
He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party has not only got this case registered against the Delhi PWD and Urban Development Minister Jain, but also against every person living in unauthorised colonies.
Jain is also the Health Minister of Delhi.
"Satyendar Jain made a scheme for regularisation of unauthorised colonies. The Centre did not pass it, instead it got a case registered against Jain.
"The BJP is strictly against the regularisation of unauthorised colonies. The BJP is enemy of Delhiites. Modi ji is harmful for Delhi," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
The ruling AAP alleged that the Modi government wants to stall regularisation of unauthorised colonies in Delhi.
"Satyendra Jain is being hounded for trying to regularise the unauthorised colonies in Delhi. He has not invested even a rupee in any company or land after 2013," AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said.
Jain was acquitted by a Delhi court on Tuesday in an alleged case of rioting in Paschim Vihar area here before the 2013 Delhi assembly election. Police had booked Jain and others for various offences punishable under Indian Penal Code, including under sections147 (rioting), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions).
(With PTI inputs)