MHA seeks President's approval to prosecute Delhi minister in ED case
The sanction has been requested under Section 218 of BNSS
The Union home ministry has sought President Droupadi Murmu’s approval to prosecute AAP leader and former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain in a money laundering case investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), officials familiar with the matter said on Friday. The sanction has been requested under Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), a provision related to the prosecution of judges and public servants.
“Based on ED’s material and adequate proof, MHA has sought sanction against Jain,” an official said, requesting anonymity. The ED has been seeking prosecution sanctions in all cases to prevent delays in trial due to lack of approval.
Jain was arrested by the ED in May 2022 in connection with alleged hawala transactions linked to a 2017 Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case, which accused him of possessing disproportionate assets. The CBI had filed a chargesheet in December 2018, stating that Jain’s alleged disproportionate assets amounted to ₹1.47 crore—about 217% more than his known sources of income between 2015 and 2017.
According to the ED, during 2015-16, Jain was a public servant when four companies he allegedly controlled received ₹4.81 crore in hawala entries from shell companies. The money was allegedly used to purchase agricultural land or repay loans for land purchases around Delhi.
Jain, who held health and power portfolios in the Delhi government, is currently out on bail. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has defended him, calling him “hardcore honest” and alleging that the case is politically motivated.