Early this morning, CBI recovered property documents, bank deposit slips of about Rs 2 crore allegedly linked to Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain, and companies where he was the director. The documents were recovered during searches conducted at the residences of Delhi Dental Council Registrar Rishiraj after the latter was arrested in a separate case on Saturday. Rishiraj was nominated as the registrar of the Delhi Dental Council by the Aam Aadmi Party government.
Satyendra Jain is certainly not new to controversies, in fact he happens to be a top target of CBI and other probing authorities.
In 2016, 441 new cases of dengue and 1598 new cases of chikungunya were filed in Delhi. In their official response, the Delhi Government complained to the Supreme Court that some of the officials were not cooperating with it. When the Supreme Court asked Satyendra Jain to file a proper response with names of the officials, Satyendra Jain sought 24-hour time to file the response. The apex court slammed the approach of the AAP government in the matter. But Arvind Kejriwal stood resolutely behind him.
In January 2016, Kejriwal famously predicted CBI raids on Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain. If we wind our clocks a bit, Kejriwal was one of the few politicians who welcomed Supreme Court’s order of allowing CBI to investigate State Officers without getting their consent. But that was when Kejriwal was not in the direct firing line of the CBI but when the CBI raids publicly exposed black money with his handpicked officer Satyendra Jain, Kejriwal forgot his anti-Corruption pitch and immediately switched to playing victim card.
Shunglu Commission report of 2017 was yet another body blow to Satyendra Jain where his daughter Saumya Jain was reported as being illegally appointed as an advisor for Mohalla Clinics and the advisor to the health secretary-cum-mission director of the National Health Mission. The committee could find no evidence of the approval for her appointment. All this while she was paid a salary of 1.15Lakhs per month during her tenure as the advisor. The opposition’s uproar forced Saumya to resign from the post, But Satyendra Jain remain unscathed.
Fresh controversy involving Satyendra Jain’s involvement in another case of corruption:
“The CBI has registered a case…on the allegations of demanding a bribe from the complainant for getting him favorable order from the Delhi Dental Council and also for extending help in further legal proceedings in his matter,” CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said.
He said that the CBI laid a trap and caught the accused while demanding and accepting the bribe from the complainant.
Later during the searches, the CBI recovered from Rishiraj’s locker property documents in Satyendra Jain’s name at Karala village, cheque books in the name of the AAP leader, his wife Poonam and JJITL estate private limited, the sources said.
They said IDBI bank slips showing deposits worth Rs 2 crore in the name of Jain’s companies in 2011 were also found during the searches.
“Three property documents including two sale deeds of land measuring 12 bigha 2 bishwa and 8 bigha 17 bishwa at Karala village, Delhi; one power of attorney for land measuring 14 bighas in the village (were found),” Dayal said in a statement.
He said a deposit slip book of a bank containing counter foils detailing deposits of approximately Rs 2 crore during 2011 in the name of Jain and companies, where he was serving as director, and in the name of his family members were also recovered.
Besides, 41 cheque books in his and his wife’s name and in the name of a private estate firm were also found, he said. The agency would soon be calling the minister for seeking his explanation on the recoveries.
“Why will a person keep original property and bank documents at a third person’s residence if he was not attempting to hide facts?” an official connected with the probe asked.
AAP, however, is defending Satyendra Jain and said that the papers have been planted by CBI and called it a BJP conspiracy.
While 2017 shattered AAP’s dream of becoming a national party, 2018 seems to be taking away the only place they claim to be the “Maalik” of. The Election Commission’s decision to recommend the disqualification of 20 AAP MLAs for holding an “office of profit” recently brought down the party’s strength in assembly to 46. It has also paved the path for bypolls in the national capital.
Now with Satyendra Jain’s involvement in fresh corruption charges, the road ahead seems difficult for AAP. And a pertinent question to ask is – Why does Satyendra Jain always land in Corruption Cases and Why AAP protects him so Desperately?