Why has ED arrested Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain?

Acting in a money laundering case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday arrested Delhi minister and AAP senior leader Satyendar Jain. His arrest comes over a month after ED provisionally attached assets worth Rs 4.81 crore of Jain's family and companies in April. These assets were "beneficially owned and controlled” by him, the agency had said.

Jain, who holds the portfolios for health, power, home, PWD, industries, urban development, flood, irrigation and water in the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government in Delhi has been arrested in a case of money laundering that stems from an FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against him back in August 2017.

What is the case?

The ED case of money laundering against the AAP Minister stems from an August 2017 FIR by the CBI against him and some others -- his wife Poonam, his alleged associates -- Ajeet Prasad Jain, Vaibhav Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain and Ankush Jain -- for alleged possession of disproportionate assets. The CBI had also searched the official residence of Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain at the time. In early May, CBI had filed closure report in the case after failing to find enough evidence to prosecute Jain and others.

READ | Satyendra Jain faced 'undue harassment': AAP on termination of CBI case against Delhi minister

The ED had opened a money laundering probe on the basis of the CBI FIR and registered a case against Jain and others under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC sections. Jain was questioned by the ED back in 2018 in connection with money laundering allegations.

In its probe in the matter, the ED said that it found that "during the period 2015-16, when Satyendar Kumar Jain was a public servant, the 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 repayment of loan taken for the purchase of agricultural land in and around Delhi," ED mentioned.

The assets that were attached last month belonged to “Akinchan Developers Pvt. Ltd., Indo Metal Impex Pvt Ltd, Paryas Infosolutions Pvt. Ltd., Manglayatan Projects Pvt. Ltd., J.J. Ideal Estate Pvt. Ltd., Swati Jain, wife of Vaibhav Jain, Sushila Jain, wife of Ajit Prasad Jain, and Indu Jain, wife of Sunil Jain," the agency had said.

READ | ED attaches assets linked to Delhi minister Satyendar Jain's family

Satyendar Jain’s arrest was brought up by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal back in February ahead of the Punjab Assembly Elections. He had alleged that the ED was going to arrest Jain right before the polls, accusing Centre of making his party a target after realising that BJP "would lose" in the elections.

(With inputs from agencies)