New Delhi
The Supreme Court on Friday extended the interim bail granted to Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Jain till September 1 on medical grounds in a money laundering case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate.
In a short hearing, a bench comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and M.M. Sundresh initially expressed its disinclination to extend Jain’s interim bail beyond September 5 and said the former Delhi minister will have to surrender thereafter.
However, on persuasion by Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for Jain, the bench ordered extension till September 1. Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, appearing for ED, reiterated his request for Jain’s medical evaluation to be carried out by a panel of doctors from AIIMS. The Supreme Court on May 26 had granted interim bail to Jain for six weeks, which was later extended from time to time, for undergoing spine surgery in a private hospital of his choice. It was contended before the top court that Jain has extreme health problems and has lost over 30 kgs.
In April this year, the Delhi High Court dismissed bail pleas of Jain and his two aides in a money laundering case being probed by the central agency. Jain has been in custody since May 30 last year.
