Satyender Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday, officials confirmed. The Delhi minister faces charges of money laundering. The arrest comes a month after the agency attached assets worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to Jain's family and companies "beneficially owned and controlled" by him.
Delhi's deputy CM Manish Sisodia dubbed the case against Jain as "bogus" and implied he is being targeted. "ED called many times before and stopped for many years in between as they couldn't find anything. Now, it's started again as he's poll in-charge of Himachal Pradesh...He will be released in few days as case is bogus," Sisodia tweeted.
ED had questioned the AAP leader in connection with the case in 2018. ED had said that Jain worked in the Central Public Works Department and later quit his job to set up an architectural consultancy firm.
Last month, ED said the "attached immovable properties worth Rs 4.81 crore belong to Akinchan Developers Pvt. Ltd., Indo Metal Impex Pvt Ltd, Paryas Infosolutions Pvt. Ltd., Manglayatan Projects Pvt. Ltd., J.J. Ideal Estate Pvt. Ltd., Swati Jain, wife of Vaibhav Jain, Sushila Jain, wife of Ajit Prasad Jain, and Indu Jain, wife of Sunil Jain".
The ED sources said that they learnt during the investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case that during the period 2015-16, when Jain was a public servant, the above-mentioned companies, owned and controlled by him received accommodation entries to the tune of Rs 4.81 crore from shell companies against cash transferred to Kolkata-based entry operators through the Hawala route.
These amounts were utilised for direct purchase of land, or for the repayment of loan taken for purchase of agricultural land in and around Delhi.
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