Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain was arrested on Monday by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering case. The case is based on a CBI first information report lodged against the AAP leader in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Minister was accused of having laundered money through four companies allegedly linked to him.
Last month, the ED provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to these companies and a fifth one—viz Akinchan Developers Pvt Ltd, Indo Metal Impex Pvt Ltd, Paryas Infosolutions Pvt Ltd, Manglayatan Projects Pvt Ltd, and JJ Ideal Estate Pvt Ltd. Apart from this, properties belonging to Swati Jain, Sushila Jain, Ajit Prasad Jain and Indu Jain have been attached in the case arising out of a case of disproportionate assets.
“Investigation by the ED revealed that during the period 2015-16, when Satyendar Kumar Jain was a public servant, the above-mentioned companies beneficially 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,” the ED had said in a statement then.
Jain was recently summoned by the ED for questioning in the case. He was earlier questioned in 2018.
The CBI complaint had said Jain could not explain the source of funds received by four companies in which he was a shareholder. A case was registered against him, his wife and four others on charges of corruption. The CBI has also questioned him in the case earlier.
The complaint said that Rs 4.63 crore was allegedly received through Prayas Info Solutions, Akinchan Developers, Managalyatan Projects and Indo-Metal Impex Pvt Limited in 2015-16. The CBI has alleged that Jain had control over these companies either as a directors or by holding one-third of the shares of these companies in his name or in the names of his family members or others.
The agency had also claimed these were shell firms used for parking money in the form of investments in equity shares in connivance with Kolkata-based shell companies.
The funds were allegedly used to purchase over 200 bighas of land in Auchandi, Bawana, Karala and Mohammed Mazvi villages in Delhi between 2010 and 2016, CBI sources had said.
Refuting the CBI’s allegations, the AAP said that the reports of Jain’s involvement in shell companies and benami land deals were “baseless”.
