SC to hear Satyendar Jain's plea against transfer of bail plea on Tuesday

Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Jain has moved the Supreme Court against the transfer of his bail plea in a money laundering case to another judge, on the ED's request, and the case will be heard on Tuesday.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the plea before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India U.U. Lalit and the top court agreed to list the matter for hearing on Tuesday.

The bench said: "List the matter tomorrow as the first item on board."

Jain has moved the apex court challenging the Delhi High Court, which declined to entertain his plea in connection with the transfer of proceedings in a money laundering case.

Jain had moved the high court against the order passed by Principal District and Sessions Court allowing the ED's plea for transfer of Jain's case from special judge Geejanjali Goel to special judge Vikas Dhull. In May, the ED arrested Jain under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Dismissing Jain's plea on October 1, the high court noted that the question is about an apprehension in the mind of a party.

On September 21, the Supreme Court had directed a sessions court to consider a plea by the Enforcement Directorate seeking transfer of Jain's bail hearing, in a money laundering case, to another judge.

Earlier, Principal District and Sessions judge Vinay Kumar Gupta stayed the proceedings of the bail hearing before special judge Geetanjali Goel and issued notice to Jain and other co-accused in the case. The judge sought replies from the respondents in the case - on an application by ED seeking transfer of the case to another judge -- by September 30.

Jain, whose bail has been denied in various hearings since his arrest in the PMLA case on May 30, is presently lodged in Tihar jail. As per the earlier submissions of ED, Jain was in de-facto control of shell companies used for alleged money laundering, and the co-accused persons Ankush Jain and Vaibhav Jain were just dummies.

The ED had raised certain contentions in connection with the bail arguments being heard by the special judge.

--IANS

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