New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Education Minister Satyendar Jain was finally granted bail by a Delhi court on Friday.
Jain was behind bars for over 16 months, having been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on May 30, 2022 in a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Citing Jain’s prolonged detention while granting bail, the Rouse Avenue Court referred to Supreme Court’s ruling in the Manish Sisodia case, emphasising the right to a speedy trial as a fundamental right.
The court pointed out the importance of individual liberty, especially when it comes to cases governed by stringent laws like the PMLA.
The ED, which had taken Jain into custody on the charge of laundering money through four shell companies allegedly linked to him, vehemently opposed the bail application. The court, however, said that Jain has already spent a significant amount of time in custody and that the trial is unlikely to commence anytime soon, let alone be concluded in the near future.
Based on the parameters set in the Sisodia case, the court ruled that Jain is entitled to bail.
Bail was granted to Jain on a personal bond of Rs 50,000. Among bail conditions, Jain cannot contact witnesses or individuals related to the case and is barred from influencing the trial in any way.
Jain also cannot travel outside India without the court’s permission.
Jain is the fourth AAP leader to be granted bail in money-laundering cases after Arvind Kejriwal, Sisodia and Sanjay Singh.