SC extends medical bail for AAP leader Satyendar Jain to 9 October

Extending the interim medical bail of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain until 9 October, the Supreme Court on Monday ordered that the former Delhi minister should diligently take part in the trial proceedings.

A special bench comprising justices AS Bopanna and Bela M Trivedi said pending proceedings before apex court should not be used as an excuse to defer proceedings before the trial court.

At the outset, the special bench was informed that Jain’s lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi could not appear before the court owing to personal difficulties. 

Appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, additional solicitor-general SV Raju claimed Jain was engaging in delay tactics to derail the trial proceedings and as many as 16 adjournments were taken to obtain documents from the prosecution. 

Raju requested the top court to pass suitable directions so that no further adjournments are sought from the trial court.

However, counsel appearing for Jain refuted this contention, saying only three dates were taken on his behalf and on other occasions, the matter was adjourned by the trial court for reasons beyond their control. 

The bench asked the AAP leader to be “diligent” and said the trial court may choose to adjourn the proceedings for genuine reasons only.  

The matter will be taken up by the Supreme Court for further hearing on 9 October. On the last occasion, the top court had extended interim relief to Jain until 25 September.

In May, the court had initially granted interim bail to Jain for six weeks, saying a citizen has a right to receive treatment of his choice in a private hospital at his own expense.

In April this year, Delhi High Court had dismissed the bail pleas of Jain and his two aides in a money laundering case lodged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Jain has been in custody since 30 May 2022 in a money laundering case registered against him by the ED.