SC grants AAP's Satyendar Jain six weeks interim bail

New Delhi, PTI

The Supreme Court on Friday gave jailed former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain six weeks interim bail on medical grounds, the relief coming a day after he collapsed in Tihar Jail due to dizziness and was admitted to the ICU of a government hospital.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader has been in Tihar Jail since his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case in May last year. A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and PS Narasimha allowed Jain, 58, to undergo treatment in a hospital of his choice and asked him to produce medical records by July 10.

It also directed Jain to not talk to the media during his interim bail period that ends on July 11. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Jain, said the former minister has lost 35 kg and is suffering from a spine problem.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the ED, sought Jain's examination by a panel of doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) or Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here. If medical reports suggest treatment, the probe agency will not oppose it, he said.

He submitted that Jain had moved petitions for bail on medical grounds in the case earlier as well, but the pleas were withdrawn as the agency sought his examination by a medical board of AIIMS or RML hospital.

"He was health minister and jail minister of Delhi. He needs to be examined at a hospital that was not under him," Raju said, claiming earlier medical reports prepared by hospitals were found to be fake.

The bench said it is considering enlarging Jain on medical bail but would look into his examination by doctors of either AIIMS or RML hospital on the next date of hearing.

On Thursday, Jain was first admitted to the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hospital and later shifted to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital due to breathing problems, AAP leaders said. He was "critically ill", they said. The LNJP Hospital is the largest hospital under the Delhi government