ED moves HC seeking to shift Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain to Central Govt Hospital

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has moved the Delhi High Court challenging the order passed by the trial court that rejected the prayer of the ED to get the accused Satyendar Jain medically evaluated by any independent hospital such as Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital or AIIMS instead of the Lok Nayak Hospital where he is presently admitted. 

ED stated that Jain who was holding the portfolio of Minister of Health in the govt of NCT of Delhi continues to be shown prominently on the Home Page of the website of the Lok Nayak Hospital as well as on the plaque in the hospital commemorating the inauguration by the respondent as the guest of honour.

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The matter was on Tuesday listed for hearing before the bench of Justice Yogesh Khanna, which later got adjourned for July 29. The trial court of Delhi presently hearing an interim bail plea of Satyender Jain on basis of medical grounds.

The investigating agency alleged that when the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case had gone to LNJP Hospital, he found that Jain was sleeping without any cannula in his hand and even the multipara patient monitor was switched off and he was not being monitored by any medical instrument. The agency said, "When the IO reached the room, the respondent immediately wore the oxygen mask, the BP apparatus belt, and the monitor was switched on", reports The New Indian Express.

It further said, "It was under these suspicious circumstances and the fact that prima facie the condition of the respondent was not such which required hospitalisation, an application was preferred before the trial court seeking a direction that he may be admitted to any independent hospital for an independent evaluation of his health."

The ED had also challenged the order dated July 19, 2022, in the interim bail application of the Respondent/Satyender Jain when the respondent was again stated to be admitted to Lok Nayak Hospital, and the Directorate of Enforcement objected that he should be shifted to some independent hospital for proper medical evaluation. However, the Special judge in the trial instead of seeking an independent evaluation from any independent hospital adjourned the matter for arguments on July 29 and sought a detailed medical report from the same Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Hospital where the respondent is admitted.

In the ED case, Delhi Cabinet Minister Satyendar Jain was arrested on 30 May 2022. Besides him, Naveen Jain and Siddharth Jain (Directors of Ram Prakash Jewellers Pvt Ltd), G S Matharoo (Chairman of Lala Sher Singh Jivan Vigyan Trust which runs Prudence Group of Schools), Yogesh Kumar Jain (Director in Ram Prakash Jewellers Pvt Ltd), father-in-law of Ankush Jain and Lala Sher Singh Jivan Vigyan Trust are also on ED radar for assisting Satyendar Jain, the ED informed.

The ED on June 6 had seized Rs 2.85 crore in cash and 133 gold coins weighing 1.80 kg from Satyendra Jain's aides during its day-long raid conducted at various places across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). The agency had also seized various incriminating documents and digital records during these raids.

The ED then said that the total movable assets were seized from "an unexplained source" and were "found to be secreted" in the raided premises. The assets were seized during a search operation carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 at the premises of Satyendar Jain, his wife Poonam Jain, and his accomplices and other persons who had either directly or indirectly assisted him or participated in the processes of money laundering.

ED investigation in the case has revealed that one accomplice of Lala Sher Singh Jivan Vigyan Trust had provided accommodation entries for the transfer of land from a company beneficially owned by Satyendar Jain to family members of accomplices to alienate the property and to frustrate the process of confiscation.

The ED initiated a money-laundering investigation based on a First Information Report registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on 24 August 2017 under Section 13(2) r/w 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against Satyendar Jain, Poonam Jain, Ajit Prasad Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain, Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain.

The CBI filed a charge sheet on 3 December 2018 against Satyendar Kumar Jain, Poonam Jain, Ajit Prasad Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain, Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain. The charge sheet mentioned that Satyendar Jain, while holding the office as a Minister in the Government of Delhi, during the period from 14 February 14 to 31 May 2017, had acquired assets which were disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Also Read:Money Laundering case: Special CBI court extends judicial custody of Delhi minister Satyendar Jain by 2 weeks