ED seeks transfer of proceedings as Satyendar Jain bail hearing reaches final stages

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju had appeared before Special Judge Geetanjali Goel informing her that he has instructions to move a plea seeking transfer of bail proceedings from the current court. The bail hearing was in its final stages with the ED seeking an additional date to address further arguments.

The judge had in the past few hearings pulled up the agency over its probe in the money laundering case. On September 8, the judge had asked the ED why it went beyond the CBI case by investigating alleged proceeds of crime not mentioned in their charge sheet, and sought an explanation as to what was the criminality in this case, even remarking at one point that the companies said to be cheated by the AAP leader were also made accused in the case.

The CBI had charge-sheeted Jain for allegedly amassing assets to the tune of Rs 1.47 crore in a disproportionate assets (DA) case. Later, the ED attached properties worth Rs 4.81 crore in connection with a money laundering probe. The judge said the CBI had mentioned the same amount in its charge sheet and asked the ASG how the ED could attribute a higher amount in their case.

The agency attributed the figure to accommodation entries. To this, the court said, “Even if they take accommodation entries, what is the criminal activity? It could be at the most a person may have undisclosed income. Where is the criminal activity in this?”

The ASG told the court that there was an additional offence of cheating in this case. Special Judge Goel said, “Somebody has been cheated by Satyendar Jain, who is an accused in your own complaint. Who is cheated? The company. Those very same companies have been made an accused in your case.”

The ED had arrested Jain in a money laundering case based on a CBI FIR lodged against the AAP leader in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act under which he was accused of having laundered money through four companies allegedly linked to him.