ED conducts raids against Delhi minister Satyendar Jain

The agency had attached properties worth Rs 4.81 crore 'owned, controlled' by Jain

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ITDC NEWS R The Enforcement Directorate on Monday conducted raids against arrested Delhi minister Satyendar Jain as part of a money-laundering probe linked to an alleged hawala dealings case being conducted against him. The raids, including that at the residential premises of Jain in Delhi and other locations, are being conducted as part of a "follow up" in the case, they said. Jain, 57, was arrested on May 30 under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and he is in ED custody till June 9.

A few weeks ago, the probe agency had attached properties worth Rs 4.81 crore of the family and companies "beneficially owned and controlled" by Jain in connection with the probe.

The probe by the ED against the minister had found that "during the period 2015-16, when Satyendar Kumar Jain was a public servant, the companies beneficially owned and controlled by him received accommodation entries to the tune of Rs 4.81 crore from shell companies against cash transferred to Kolkata-based entry operators through the hawala route," the agency had said.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia reacted to the arrest, claiming that the eight-year old case against Jain is "fake'. He claimed that the ED is targetting Jain as he has been made AAP's election in-charge of Himachal.

"BJP is losing badly in Himachal. That is why Satyendra Jain has been arrested today so that he cannot go to Himachal. They will be released in a few days as the case is completely fake," he said in a tweet.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh said Jain was earlier summoned seven times by the ED but was never arrested. He has been arrested now to "defame" the AAP ahead of the Himachal Pradesh assembly election