The Enforcement Directorate on Monday arrested Delhi Home and Health Minister Satyendra Jain in a ₹4.81 crore money laundering case.

The alleged offence took place between 2015 to 2016, and the money was parked in Jain’s five companies — including Akinchan Developers and Indo Metal Impex — as “accommodation entries,” ED officials said, after arresting Jain following raids at his residence in the national capital.

Jain is accused of taking the assistance of Kolkata-based entry operators for diverting the laundered money, which was “utilised for direct purchase of land or for repayment of loan taken from the purchase of agricultural land in and around Delhi,” said ED officials.

In April, the agency had attached immovable properties worth ₹4.81 crore owned by Akinchan Developers, Indo Metal Impex and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. The ED had booked Jain, his wife Poonam and others.

The original disproportionate case against the minister and his wife was registered by the CBI in August of 2017. Minister Jain, the CBI had alleged, was unable to defend himself on funds the shell companies had received.

Published on May 30, 2022