Delhi court sends AAP minister Satyendar Jain to ED custody till June 9 in money laundering case

A Delhi court on Tuesday sent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Minister Satyendar Jain to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till June 9 in a money laundering case against him [ED v. Satyendar Jain]. .Special CBI Court Judge Geetanjli Goel passed the order after ED sought custody of Jain for 14 days. "Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, custodial interrogation of the accused would be necessary to unravel the true and correct facts. However, at this stage looking to the fact that the accused has already been called for interrogation by ED several times, 14 days as prayed for by the ED is not deemed necessary and the accused is remanded to custody of the ED till June 9, 2022," the order reads..Jain, who had been facing a probe in a corruption case registered by the CBI, was arrested by ED sleuths in a related money laundering case.Jain is a senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) politician and currently holds the health, home, power, public works department, industries, urban development and flood, irrigation and water portfolios in the Delhi government as a minister.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta who appeared on behalf of ED, contended that there is a chequered layer of money involved in the matter.."We don't know if he was laundering somebody else's money. Who are other potential beneficiaries of this money laundering," Mehta said.He said 14-day custody would be needed to find out where eventually money came from."This is not a one time offence. This is of a recurring nature which may still be going on. He may be able to throw light during custodial interrogation," the SG submitted.Senior Counsel N Hariharan, appearing for Jain, said that ED has not been able to point out any source of income even in the CBI case."No evidence to show that money from me went (hawala). His house been searched on two occasions. His bank accounts also seized. The entire material is with them. I'm given share in these companies as a consultant. I was architect. What company does is none of my business. Even today it's same share percentage. The land is in the name of those companies," Hariharan said.Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday tweeted that Jain's arrest had political undertones, as he was the in-charge of the party for the upcoming elections in Himachal Pradesh..SG Mehta along with advocates Zoheb Hossain and N K Matta represented ED.Senior advocate Hariharan and advocates Bhavook Chauhan, Vaibhav Yadav, Siddharth S Yadav, Punya Rekha Angara, Ikshvaaku Marwah, Prateek Bhalla, R S Ahuja and Amar Inder Singh appeared for Jain..[Read Order]