Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain wants a swimming pool inside the jail. This claim has been made by the Enforcement Directorate ie ED. Opposing the extension of Jain’s interim medical bail, the ED on Friday claimed that he was demanding a swimming pool inside the jail premises. Let us tell you that Satyendar Jain is in ED custody since 2022 in the money laundering case.
This comment was made by the ED before the Supreme Court when Satyendar Jain’s lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi urged the court to extend his interim bail citing medical advice. The court on Friday extended the interim bail of former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain till September 1 in a money laundering case.
Justice A. S. Bopanna and Justice MM Sundaresh’s bench after taking cognizance of Jain’s medical report granted him relief. The bench said that ‘However, the Additional Solicitor General opposed the extension of interim bail, arguing that the medical advice mentioned is not sufficient to extend the bail… The medical bail granted earlier stands extended till September 1. .
Aquatic physiotherapy was suggested to Jain
At the outset, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi submitted that Jain deserves regular bail as he has been inside the jail for more than 15 months. Referring to the medical condition of the senior AAP leader, advocate Singhvi said that Jain is recuperating after a major spinal surgery. Singhvi said that doctors have suggested aquatic physiotherapy and Jain can only walk with assistance.
Additional Solicitor General S.K., appearing for the ED. V. Raju was seen strongly opposing the extension of interim bail. He said that Jain’s health condition should be looked after by AIIMS, Delhi. He said that we can take him i.e. Satyendar Jain to the swimming pool for the purpose of physiotherapy. He wants a swimming pool in the jail. If he wishes, we can take him to the swimming pool for aquatic exercises. Not all patients can afford a swimming pool.
Jain doesn’t need a single day’s extension
Further Solicitor General S. V. Raju said that he does not need a single day’s extension. There does not seem to be any basis that he needs to be given an extension (interim bail) of even one day. Please consider the advice of doctors. In an apparent reference to photographs of Jain being given special treatment inside Tihar Jail, the bench joked that if he avails physiotherapy and you take his picture and publish it, what to do… Raju told the court that it was the other prisoner who had committed the act.
Jain gets massage from another inmate in jail
The Additional Solicitor General said that he (Jain) had given massage to another prisoner in the jail, sir… He should be treated like a normal petitioner. Let us discuss here that ED had accused Jain of availing special facilities inside Tihar Jail and said that unknown persons were seen massaging his body and feet. Despite being in judicial custody, Jain remained the minister in charge of the jail for several months.
The ED had also shared some CCTV photographs with the court and alleged that Jain was either in the hospital most of the time or was enjoying facilities in jail which are not available to a prisoner. On July 24, the Supreme Court extended Jain’s interim bail by five weeks. On May 26, the court, while granting interim bail to Jain for six weeks on medical grounds, said that any citizen has the right to get treatment of his choice in a private hospital at his own expense.
He was granted regular bail on September 6, 2019, in the case registered by the CBI.
Let us discuss here that the ED had arrested Jain on May 30 last year on charges of money laundering through four companies allegedly linked to him. Jain was arrested by the ED under the Prevention of Corruption Act following an FIR lodged against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2017. The trial court had granted him regular bail on September 6, 2019, in the case registered by the CBI.
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