ED files charge sheet against AAP minister Satyendar Jain in money laundering case
Premium- The law enforcement agency has filed a charge sheet against Delhi minister Satyendar Jain in the money laundering case
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a charge sheet in a special court against Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain in an alleged money laundering case, the law enforcement agency said on Wednesday. Others involved in the case, too, have been charged in a money laundering case. Satyendar Jain and two others are at present in judicial custody. Special Judge Geetanjali Goel is likely to take up the matter later in the day.
Satyendar Jain was taken into custody under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He was arrested in the alleged case on May 30, 2022. The ED had, however, started a money laundering probe based on an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 24, 2017.
In the FIR, the investigation agency Satyendar Jain, when he held office as a minister in the Delhi government between February 14, 2015, to May 31, 2017, had acquired assets that are disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The FIR was filed under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act against Satyendar Jain and others.
The development comes hours after as the Supreme Court upheld the ED's right to arrest and seize assets under the PMLA.
Upholding ED's right, Justice AM Khanwilkar said Section 5 of the PMLA relating to the attachment of property of "those involved in money laundering is constitutionally valid".
"Section 5 is constitutionally valid. It provides for a balancing arrangement to secure the interest of the person as also ensures that proceeds of crime remain available to be dealt with in the manner provided under the Act," the bench said.
It added, “The challenge to the constitutional validity of Section 19 of the 2002 Act is also rejected. There are stringent safeguards provided in Section 19. The provision does not suffer from the vice of arbitrariness."
Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court dismissed a plea seeking suspension of arrested Delhi minister Satyendar Jain from the Delhi cabinet. The plea argued that Satyendar Jain was a public servant having a constitutional oath to uphold.
(With agency inputs)
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