INDIA: Satyendar Jain, a Delhi government minister, was arrested on Monday in connection with hawala transactions involving Kolkata-based companies owned and controlled by him.
Jain is the AAP-led Delhi government’s minister for Health, Home, Power, and Public Works.
According to Enforcement Directorate (ED) sources, Jain was evasive during questioning today; therefore, he was arrested at the agency’s office in Delhi.
The ED recently attached immovable properties worth Rs 4.81 crore owned by Akinchan Developers Pvt Ltd, Indo Metal Impex Pvt Ltd, Paryas Infosolutions Pvt Ltd, Manglayatan Projects Pvt Ltd, JJ Ideal Estate Pvt Ltd, and Swati Jain, Sushila Jain, and Indu Jain. The three women are all relatives of Delhi’s Health Minister.
The arrest was made after the ED discovered during its investigation into the Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) case that the companies mentioned above-received accommodation entries worth Rs 4.81 crore from shell companies in exchange for cash transferred Kolkata-based entry operators via the Hawala route.
According to the sources, the entries were made during Jain’s tenure as a public official from 2015-16.
These funds were used to acquire land directly or to repay debts taken out to purchase agricultural land in and around Delhi.
Last month, the agency announced that assets worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to Jain’s family and firms “beneficially owned and managed” by him had been provisionally attached as part of a money-laundering investigation.
Previously, the CBI had filed a case of disproportionate assets against Jain. In connection with the matter, the ED questioned the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader in 2018.
According to ED sources, Jain will appear in court on Tuesday morning.
AAP leaders condemns Jain’s arrest
In response to Jain’s detention, AAP member Somnath Bharti accused the BJP of “misusing” the agency. “There is no god in the country…we have seen how the BJP has abused them.”
“It’s essentially an extension of the BJP,” remarked Bharti.
Manish Sisodia, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, condemned Jain’s detention and attacked the BJP, saying the party is targeting Jain because he is the election in charge of Himachal Pradesh, which holds elections this year.
“A fake case is being run against Satyendra Jain for 8 years. Till now ED has been called many times. In between, ED stopped calling for many years as they did not get anything. Now started again because Satyendra Jain is the election in-charge of Himachal. BJP is losing badly in Himachal. That is why Satyendra Jain has been arrested today so that he cannot go to Himachal. They will be released in a few days as the case is completely fake,” he wrote.
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