AAP’s Satyendar Jain gets bail after 2 years: ‘Trial to start, let alone conclude’
AAP leader and former Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain was granted bail on Friday two years after he was arrested in connection with a money laundering case.
“The trial is yet to begin, let alone conclude,” a Delhi court said, citing Jain’s long incarceration of 18 months. While granting bail, the Rouse Avenue Court also referenced the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of Manish Sisodia, emphasising the right to a speedy trial as a fundamental right. The court, while delivering its verdict, pointed out the importance of individual liberty, especially when it comes to cases governed by stringent laws like the PMLA.
The court’s order heavily relied on the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Manish Sisodia case, which set a precedent regarding the right to a speedy trial. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is prosecuting the case, strongly opposed Jain’s bail application. However, the court noted that Jain has already spent a significant amount of time in custody and that the trial is unlikely to commence anytime soon, let alone be concluded in the near future.
The court concluded that based on the parameters set in the Sisodia case, Jain is entitled to bail. Reacting to Jain’s bail, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said that PM Modi put him in jail for closing down mohalla clinics and stopping free treatment for the poor.
“Satyendra Jain also got bail after spending more than two years in jail. What was his fault? Several raids were conducted at his place. Not even a single penny was recovered. His only fault was that he built mohalla clinics and made all treatment free for all the people of Delhi. Modi ji put him in jail for closing down mohalla clinics and stopping free treatment for the poor. But God is with us. Today he too has been released. Welcome back Satyendra!” Kejriwal said in a post on X.
The court granted bail to Jain on a personal bond of Rs 50,000. As part of the bail conditions, Jain is prohibited from contacting any witnesses or individuals related to the case and is barred from influencing the trial in any way. Furthermore, the AAP leader has been restricted from traveling outside India without prior permission from the court. Jain is the fourth AAP leader after Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh who has been granted bail in different money laundering cases.