HC asks Jain to reply to ED’s plea

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought AAP leader Satyendar Jain’s response on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate seeking to defer arguments on framing of charges in a money laundering case against him.

Justice Vikas Mahajan issued notice to Jain on an application filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a pending petition of the AAP leader. The high court listed the matter for further hearing on March 3.

In the main petition, Jain has sought deferring of arguments on charges on the ground that the investigation in the case is yet to conclude and it would be in the interest of justice that arguments on charge are heard only once the probe is complete.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in its application also urged the high court to direct the special court to defer the hearing on the point of charge until the supplementary prosecution complaint (chargesheet) is filed by it.

“To a limited extent I am agreeable to what the petitioner (Jain) is saying that till the time we file the supplementary prosecution complaint, defer the hearing on charges. No prejudice will be caused to the petitioner because that was also his prayer in the main petition,” the ED’s counsel argued.

He said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also filed a supplementary chargesheet in the scheduled offence before the trial

court on January 3 and has enlarged the quantum of the disproportionate assets from Rs 1.47 crore to Rs 3.95 crore.

The ED’s counsel said deferment was imperative to enable it to file a supplementary chargesheet in view of the development in the CBI case.