Delhi HC Seeks ED’s Response On Satyendra Jain’s Trial Deferral Petition

Satyendra Jain

The Delhi High Court issued a notice on Tuesday, seeking a response from the ED regarding a petition filed by former Delhi Cabinet Minister Satyendra Jain.

The petition requests the deferral of charges being heard in the trial court, with Jain’s counsel arguing that the investigation is still ongoing and not yet concluded.

The bench, headed by Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri, scheduled the next hearing for December 10 but declined to grant any stay on the trial court’s proceedings in the interim. Jain’s plea contends that since the investigation is still in progress, it would be in the interest of justice to delay the hearing of charges until it is completed.

Jain’s counsel emphasized that if the ED possesses any material that could potentially exonerate the accused, the court is obligated to consider it when forming a prima facie opinion.

In support of the plea, Jain’s petition cited the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) status report on the predicate offence, which mentions the need for further investigation. The investigation involves the collection of records from various departments and the examination of witnesses across different sectors, making the process complex and time-consuming.

Jain’s counsel argued that the outcome of this ongoing investigation is critical to determining the proceeds of crime in the case.

On October 18, the trial court had granted bail to Jain in the money laundering case, citing that the trial had not yet started, and acknowledging his prolonged incarceration of 18 months.

Jain was arrested by the ED in May 2022, with the agency accusing him of laundering the proceeds of crime through four companies allegedly linked to him.