The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has approached the Delhi High court bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi appealed the requirement that a lawyer be present with Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain while he is being interrogated by the CBI, as imposed by a special court.
The ED’s lawyer, Zoheb Hossain, appeared before Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and mentioned the plea.
“ED was granted remand on May 31. Certain conditions have been laid down like presence of lawyer and others. This will vitiate the custody granted to us,”
Hossain stated
The case will be heard on Friday, according to the Court.
Last Thursday, a special court gave ED custody of Jain until June 9. However, at the request of Jain’s lawyer, the Court ordered that a lawyer be present throughout Jain’s interrogation from a distance so that he may watch but not hear the proceedings.
“…considering the facts and circumstances, it is directed that during time of enquiry/interrogation from the accused one advocate of the accused shall be allowed to remain present at a safe distance where from he can see the accused but not hear him,”
Special Judge (PC Act) Geetanjali Goel ordered
Jain, who was being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a corruption case, was apprehended by ED sleuths in a connected money laundering case.
Jain is a senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) politician who now serves as a minister in the Delhi government, overseeing the ministries of health, home, power, public works, industries, urban development, and flood, irrigation, and water.
The ED claims that he is participating in a money laundering case, and that the beneficiaries of the laundered funds are unknown. It’s also said that this isn’t a one-time occurrence.
“This is of a recurring nature which may still be going on. He may be able to throw light during custodial interrogation,”
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had told the special court.
Even in the CBI case, Jain claims that the ED has been unable to identify any source of revenue.
“No evidence to show that money from me went (hawala). His house been searched on two occasions. His bank accounts also seized. The entire material is with them. I’m given share in these companies as a consultant. I was architect. What company does is none of my business. Even today it’s same share percentage. The land is in the name of those companies,”
Counsel of jain,Senior Advocate N Hariharan had said.
