A Delhi court on Friday granted bail to former Delhi minister and senior AAP leader Satyendar Jain in a money-laundering case, citing “delay in trial and long incarceration”.
Jain was arrested in the case in 2022. With his release, all former AAP ministers jailed in corruption cases are now free.
AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: “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. Modiji put him in jail for closing down mohalla clinics and stopping free treatment for the poor.”
Special judge Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Court granted bail to Jain on a bond of ₹50,000 and two sureties of equivalent amount.
PTI quoted the judge as saying: “Considering the delay in trial and long incarceration of 18 months, and the fact that trial will take long to start, let alone conclude, accused is favourably suited for the relief.”
In response to queries from reporters as he was escorted out of the court by police, Jain said: “I will say again, Satyameva Jayate! (Truth alone triumphs).”
The former minister was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate based on an FIR by the CBI that accused him of corruption through four companies linked to him. He was out on medical bail from May 2023 to March this year after he injured his spine in jail, lost 35kg and reported symptoms of sleep apnea and depression. He stuck to a diet of mainly fruits citing religious reasons.
Earlier, Kejriwal, former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, AAP MP Sanjay Singh and party communications head Vijay Nair have been granted bail in the liquor policy case.
Currently, AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan is behind bars facing a probe into the irregularities in recruitment by the capital’s Waqf Board that he once headed.
Jain’s release comes as a shot in the arm for the AAP, which is recovering from its poor electoral show in Haryana and facing Assembly polls in Delhi early next year. Jain walked out of jail around 8.15pm wearing a back support belt and was received by Delhi chief minister Atishi, Sisodia and Singh.
