Supreme Court on Monday extended by five weeks the interim bail of former Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain in the money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
A two-judge Bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice A.S. Bopanna and also comprising Justice Bela M. Trivedi, in their order extended the interim bail of Jain by five weeks and it posted the matter for further hearing after this period is expired.
Senior lawyer, Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi, counsel appearing for Jain, told the Apex court that Jain had undergone a spine surgery on July 21 and needed time to recover.
“He needs time to recover from his spine surgery,” Dr Singhvi said and pleaded for extension of his interim bail.
“We extend the interim bail to Satyendar Jain on medical grounds. Petitioner (Jain) has undergone spine surgery. Respondent (ED) seek independent medical evaluation.
Taking note that operation for spine injury has been performed on July 21, we deem it appropriate as an interim measure, we extend interim bail by 5 weeks. List the plea on next date and application for independent evaluation to be considered then,” the Top Court said, in its order.
The SC on May 26 had granted interim bail to the former Minister for six weeks on medical grounds, saying a citizen had a right to receive treatment of his choice in a private hospital at his own expense.
Subsequently also, on July 10, the top court had extended the May 26 order, till today, ie, July 24 the interim bail granted to Mr. Jain on medical grounds.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju, senior law officer appearing for the probe agency- ED, said that he was not opposing the extension of interim bail to the accused Jain, but he only sought a direction that an independent evaluation of the former Minister should be made by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) or any other hospital.
The ED arrested Jain on May 30 last year alleging him of involving criminal conspiracy and laundering money through four companies allegedly linked to him.
The agency had arrested him after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) First Information Report registered against him in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
He was granted regular bail by the trial court on September 6, 2019 in the case registered by the CBI.
Dr Singhvi said that Jain had a serious operation. It is a serious one and he cannot even turn on one side and sought extension of bail for 6 weeks.
