Court to consider chargesheet against Delhi minister Satyendar Jain, wife in DA case on Dec 17

A Delhi court has fixed December 17 for consideration of the chargesheet filed against Delhi minister Satyendar Jain for allegedly amassing assets of Rs 1.47 crore, disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj said he would consider on December 17 whether to take cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is likely to file additional documents on the next date of hearing.

The CBI, which filed the chargesheet Monday, alleged that Jain had amassed assets worth Rs 1.47 crore, which was "217.20 per cent" above his known sources of income between 2015-17.

According to the central probe agency, the "ill-gotten money" was allegedly routed to four companies controlled by Jain and his relatives through "accommodation entries" -- a term used for "hawala" transfers -- in Kolkata-based shell companies.

It alleged that Jain's wife Poonam was actively involved in the process and hence, she was made an accused in the chargesheet, along with the minister's business associates and relatives -- Ajit Prasad Jain, Vaibhav Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain and Ankush Jain.

The CBI claimed that Jain and his relatives had stakes in four companies -- Prayas Info Solutions, Akinchan Developers, Mangalyatan Projects and Indo Metal Impex Private Limited.

Jain, the minister for health, home, power, PWD, industries, urban development and flood and irrigation in the Delhi government of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was a director in all but one -- Mangalyatan Projects -- it alleged.

Although he had resigned from the directorship before the 2013 Delhi Assembly polls, his family members continued to hold shares in these companies and his shares were transferred on February 10, 2015 to his wife, through whom he had kept "effective" control over the firms, the agency alleged.

It was alleged that three companies -- Prayas Info Solutions, Akinchan Developers and Mangalyatan Projects -- had received Rs 1.53 crore as accommodation entries from Kolkata-based shell companies.

The CBI alleged that there was no explanation for Rs 1.47 crore, which was 217.20 per cent over and above Jain's legitimate income between 2015 and 2017.

It alleged that Jain was assisted in routing this "ill-gotten money through shell companies" by chartered accountant JP Mohta and "hawala" operator Rajendra Bansal.

The agency claimed that Satyendar and Vaibhav Jain had sent money to Bansal, who in turn provided accommodation entries in the form of share application money in the said firms from the shell companies between 2010 and 2016 -- even after the former had become a minister in the Delhi government.