Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday, 30 May, in a case connected to alleged hawala transactions with regard to a Kolkata-based company.
This comes after the ED, in April this year, provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to companies allegedly linked to Jain and his relatives under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The properties belonging to Akinchan Developers Pvt Ltd, Indo Metal Impex Pvt Ltd, Paryas Infosolutions Pvt Ltd, Manglayatan Projects Pvt Ltd, JJ Ideal Estate Pvt Ltd, and others had been attached in the case.
In a statement, the ED had said, "Enforcement Directorate (ED), after initiating a money-laundering probe against Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain on the basis of an FIR registered by CBI, provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to his family and firms, under PMLA 2002."
The Case Against Jain
The ED's probe had revealed that during the period from 2015-16, the companies owned and controlled by Jain received accommodation entries of nearly Rs 4.81 crore from shell companies against cash transferred to Kolkata-based entry operators through the "hawala route."
"These amounts were utilised for direct purchase of land or for the repayment of loan taken for purchase of agricultural land in and around Delhi," the ED had said.
The central agency alleged that Jain and his wife were also shareholders in these companies during the period.
The CBI said that before becoming a public servant, the Delhi minister was allegedly involved in laundering Rs 11.78 crore through companies based in New Delhi from 2010-12.
Delhi CM Kejriwal Had Predicted Jain's Arrest Ahead of Punjab Election
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said in January that he had come to know that Jain may be arrested by the ED ahead of the Punjab Assembly election.
"We have come to know from our sources that Satyendar Jain is going to be arrested before the Punjab elections," he claimed.
Kejriwal also alleged that with the announcement of the poll schedule, the central government's investigative agencies had become very active.
"The central government conducted raids on Jain twice before, but nothing was found. If the ED wants to come again, they are most welcome," Kejriwal had said, as per ANI.
Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Delhi CM further added that whenever the saffron party feels that it might lose an election, it puts central agencies to work.
"So, obviously there will be raids and there will be arrests too. We have no fear because I think all these obstacles come when you walk on the path of truth," he added.
'If Arrested, Jain Will Get Bail in 5-10 Days': Kejriwal
Kejriwal had also said that if the government wanted to send more agencies like the CBI to probe AAP leaders, it could do so.
"What will happen to Satyendar Jain if he is arrested? He will get bail in five to 10 days," Kejriwal had said at the time.
"If they want to arrest more people, not only Satyendra Jain, they are welcome. We haven't done anything wrong, we've been raided before," Kejriwal said.
Jain had also attacked the Centre in January, saying that he was ready to be arrested.
"They are welcome to come whenever they want. Even before this, they have raided me twice but all in vain," the health minister was quoted as saying by NDTV.
"This is all politics and the last time they did it during the Punjab elections. ED, CBI all are welcome. I am ready. If they want to arrest me, they can arrest me," he added.
(With inputs from ANI and NDTV.)
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