New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday arrested Delhi Health Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain since he was not cooperating with the Central investigative agency in an ongoing money laundering probe, allegedly involving him.
"The ED officials told us that he (Jain) did not cooperate with them in the investigation, which forced the probe agency to arrest him," a close aide of Jain looking after his case told UNI.
Jain was arrested by the Central agency Sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case connected to Hawala transactions related to a Kolkata-based company, sources said.
His arrest has come a month after the financial probe agency attached properties worth Rs 4.81 crore of the family and companies "beneficially owned and controlled" by Jain, in connection with a money laundering probe.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a case against Jain and his family in August, 2017 for alleged money laundering of up to Rs 1.62 crore.
CBI had alleged that the senior AAP leader and his family set up four shell firms - companies with no real business - to launder Rs 11.78 crore in 2011-12 and Rs 4.63 crore in 2015-16. ED started its probe into the money laundering allegations based on the CBI's FIR.
ED had in 2018 questioned the AAP MLA from Shakur Basti in connection with the case.
"During 2015-16, when 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," said a statement shared by ED.
"These amounts were utilised for direct purchase of land or repayment of loan taken for the purchase of agricultural land in and around Delhi," it added.
Reacting to Jain's arrest, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said it was a ploy by BJP to save its face from the massive loss it was going to suffer in the upcoming Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, where Jain was the election In-charge of AAP.
"BJP is losing badly in Himachal Pradesh. That is why Satyendar Jain has been arrested today, so that he cannot go to the hill state. He will be released in a few days, as the case is completely fake," Sisodia posted on Twitter. (UNI)
