The Delhi High Court on Thursday ordered a trial court here not to consider for the time being Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain’s medical report by the State government-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital when considering his interim bail in connection with a money laundering case.
Justice Jasmeet Singh also asked Mr. Jain to respond to a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking to medically examine him at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital or Safdarjung Hospital, instead of LNJP where he is currently admitted.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju, appearing for the ED, said there was a need for an “independent evaluation” of Mr. Jain’s health, which could be done at AIIMS, RML or Safdarjung Hospital, before his plea for release on the ground of ill health is considered by the trial court.
The ASG said there was “a grave likelihood” that Mr. Jain, who till recently served as Delhi’s Health Minister, exercises “influence over LNJP”.
Mr. Raju said that the Minister’s picture is displayed prominently on the hospital’s website and that Mr. Jain was also a “guest of honour” at an event held at the hospital.
Justice Singh, however, clarified that if the trial court judge could grant bail to Mr. Jain on some other grounds. The High Court will hear the case again on August 17.
The AAP leader was arrested by the ED on May 30 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), based on a disproportionate assets FIR registered against him in 2017 by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The ED has challenged a trial court’s July 6 order rejecting its plea to get Mr. Jain medically evaluated by any independent hospital.
“… the Directorate of Enforcement has a serious doubt as to whether the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital or even the GB Pant Hospital would be able to independently assess the medical condition of the respondent (Mr. Jain) herein for the reason that these hospitals continue to prominently display the picture of the respondent on its home page,” the agency told the High Court.
The agency also said that on June 27, its Investigating Officer (IO) had gone to the LNJP Hospital where Mr. Jain was found sleeping on a bed without any cannula attached to his hand. The agency said that Mr. Jain’s multipara patient monitor was switched off and he was not being monitored by any medical instrument.
“When the IO reached the room, the respondent (Mr. Jain) immediately wore the oxygen mask, the BP apparatus belt, and the multipara patient monitor was switched on,” the agency told the court.
