New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed a sessions court here to take up on September 22 an application by the Enforcement Directorate seeking transfer of the case concerning bail hearing of Delhi minister Satyendar Jain in a money laundering case to another judge, reported news agency PTI.
Observing that any accused is entitled to an expeditious hearing of his bail plea, a three-judge bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud asked the principal district and sessions judge of the Rouse Avenue court to take up the petition for hearing.
"We clarify that any party aggrieved by the decision on transfer petition can seek appropriate remedies available in law. The forum for hearing of bail will depend upon the decision of the District Judge," said the bench — also comprising Justices Hima Kohli and P S Narasimha — quoted by the news agency.
On September 19, proceedings for the bail hearing were stayed by Principal District and Sessions Judge Vinay Kumar Gupta who had issued notice to Jain and other co-accused in the case on an ED application seeking transfer of the case to another judge.
Delhi minister Satyendar Jain and two others were arrested in a case based on an FIR lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation against the Aam Aadmi Party leader in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
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Jain is accused of having laundered money through four companies linked to him.
The AAP minister was also interrogated by the enforcement agency in connection with the now-rolled back Delhi liquor policy. The investigating agency questioned him in Tihar jail where he has been lodged after being arrested three months back in connection with the money laundering case.