On Friday, the Supreme Court granted interim medical bail to Satyendar Jain, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi health minister, who is currently in jail in a money laundering case (Satyendar Kumar Jain v Directorate of Enforcement).
A vacation bench consisting of Justices JK Maheshwari and PS Narasimha announced that Jain would be on interim medical bail until July 11, allowing him to undergo treatment at a private hospital. The Court specified that Jain must not influence any witnesses or leave the National Capital Territory of Delhi without the Supreme Court's permission. Additionally, Jain is required to produce all relevant treatment documents during his time on interim bail. The case will be reevaluated on July 10.
Jain had filed a plea seeking bail in the money laundering case, and the Supreme Court had previously sought a response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on May 18. During the hearing, Jain's counsel argued for interim bail on medical grounds, while the Additional Solicitor General representing the ED raised concerns about the authenticity of medical records from Delhi government-run hospitals, as Jain had previously served as the health minister.
The ASG suggested that Jain should be examined by a panel of doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) due to doubts about the reliability of records from Delhi hospitals. However, Jain's counsel refuted these arguments, emphasizing his deteriorating health condition and the need for treatment at a private hospital.
After considering the arguments, the Court granted interim bail to Jain for medical treatment at a private hospital. Jain has been in custody since May 2022 when he was arrested by the ED. The case against Jain involves allegations of acquiring movable properties and receiving cash through shell companies. The High Court had previously denied bail, considering Jain an influential person who did not meet the bail conditions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This led to the current appeal before the Supreme Court.
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