New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) A Delhi court on Thursday sought the Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s response to an application moved by jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyender Jain seeking transfer of a money laundering case to another judge.
Principal District and Sessions Judge Vinay Kumar Gupta issued notice to the ED on Jain’s plea, returnable by May 4, the next date of hearing in the matter.
The court, however, refused to stay the proceedings before Special Judge Vikas Dhull, who is currently hearing the case, during the pendency of the application.
Jain on Tuesday sought transfer of two cases related to alleged corruption and money laundering brought against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the ED to another judge.
Both the cases are currently being heard by Special Judge Dhull.
The proceedings in the CBI corruption case have been temporarily halted by the District Judge until May 4, when arguments on Jain’s transfer application will be heard.
Jain was placed under arrest on May 30, 2022, by the central agency under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
The ED had initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of the FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in 2017 under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(e) of the PC Act, 1988 against Jain, his wife Poonam Jain, and Ajit Prasad Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain, Vaibhav Jain, and Ankush Jain.
The CBI has alleged that Jain, while holding the office as a Minister in the Delhi government during February 14, 2015 to May 31, 2017, had acquired assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
A charge sheet was filed by the CBI on December 3, 2018, against Jain, his wife Poonam Jain, and other accused.
Earlier, the ED had provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to companies beneficially owned and controlled by Jain on March 31, 2022.
–IANS
spr/vd
