Satyendar Jain terms charges 'laughable' after Centre permits CBI probe

A day after the Centre granted sanction to the CBI to prosecute him in a case, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said Friday the charges against him were "laughable and beyond comprehension".

Jain, who holds the portfolios of health, urban development, the PWD, among others, alleged that the BJP-led central government wants to "raze down" the unauthorised colonies in the city.

There are around 1,700 unauthorised colonies across the national capital.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has granted sanction to the CBI to prosecute Jain in a case related to alleged possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, official had said Thursday.

The case was registered against Jain, his wife Poonam, his alleged associates - Ajeet Prasad Jain, Vaibhav Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain and Ankush Jain.

"Modiji wants to raze down the unauthorised colonies in Delhi and render the poor people homeless. Being the Urban Development minister of Delhi, I am under oath to get the unauthorised colonies authorised.

"It's my duty to provide the residents with basic facilities like roads and drains," Jain said in an official statement.

He also said, "Even if they file 100 cases against me, I will not be cowed down and I will keep working in the same manner".

Jain said that regularisation of the unauthorised colonies will not benefit him, but the people residing in these colonies.

"I am amazed at the charges made by the Centre; they are saying Jain will become richer by regularising these colonies. This is laughable and beyond comprehension," he said.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party also hit out at the BJP-led central government, alleging that the MHA's approval to prosecute Jain shows that the Centre is "trying hard" to stop regularisation of unauthorised colonies.

"It is a conspiracy against Jain. The PM, who says Delhi to be made like Singapore, does not want regularisation of unauthorised colonies," senior AAP leader Atishi said at a press conference here.