Court grants bail to ex-Minister Jain

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday granted bail to AAP leader and former Delhi cabinet minister Satyendar Jain in a money laundering case, citing "delay in trial" and his "long incarceration".

Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on May 30, 2022, on the charge of laundering money through four companies allegedly linked to him. He is currently in judicial custody. "Considering the delay in trial and long incarceration of 18 months, and the fact that trail will take long to start, let alone conclude, accused is favourably suited for the relief," said Special Judge Vishal Gogne. The judge granted the relief on a bail bond Rs 50,000 with two sureties of like amount. The ED case stems from an FIR lodged against Jain by the Central Bureau of Investigation in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Jain walked out of the Tihar Jail Friday evening, hours after a city court granted him bail in a money laundering case.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and senior Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, received Jain, who was in the jail for around two years. Sisodia hugged him as his party colleague walked out of the jail. Hundreds of AAP workers gathered outside the Tihar Jail to celebrate the release of the former health minister.