A CCTV footage of Tihar Jail has surfaced in which jailed Delhi minister and AAP leader Satyendar Jain could be seen getting a massage. Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had told a Special PMLA court that Jain was having luxurious facilities at Tihar Jail.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxsena had also ordered inquiry into the matter, post which Jail Superintendent of Tihar Jail, Ajit Kumar, a DANICS official was earlier placed under suspension.
“He has prima facie been found to have committed irregularities that warrant inquiry,” read an recent order of LG. As of now, no official has commented on the matter in connection with the video that has surfaced.
Several netizens have lashed out at this open mockery of the criminal justice system in our nation’s capital. One tweeted, “Perks of holding power in a CONstitutional democraZy. Of the cronies, by the corrupt, for the crooks.”
Another image which has emerged shows a comfortable gathering of 5 people in a cell, with one accused lying on a bed getting a foot massage. A package of bottled water is lying on the floor, and a TV remote can be seen on the bed as well.
Jain was arrested on May 30 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Jain was in de-facto control of shell companies used for alleged money laundering, and the co-accused persons Ankush Jain and Vaibhav Jain were just dummies.
The ED initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of the CBI’s FIR lodged against various suspects including Udai Shanker Awasthi, MD IFFCO, Pankaj Jain, Promoter of Jyoti Trading Corporation and Rare Earth Group, Dubai, Amarendra Dhari Singh and others.
They were accused by the CBI for allegedly hatching criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal misconduct.
The ED learnt in the investigation that Awasthi and others in IFFCO generated proceeds of crime and layered it through various unrelated entities and part of PoC was then transferred to the entities controlled by them.
The allegations include receipt of illegal commission by the accused from the overseas suppliers through a complex web of fake commercial transactions through multiple entities registered outside Bharat (controlled by the accused persons) to camouflage the fraudulent transactions as genuine.
“Awasthi (father of Amol Awasthi & Anupam Awasthi) and Parvinder Singh Gahlaut (father of Vivek Gahlaut) wield considerable influence in the Fertilizer industry by virtue of their position as Managing Director of IFFCO & Director of IPL (U. S. Awasthi) and Managing Director of IPL (Parvinder Singh Gahlaut). Such payment of commission to them through their sons bleed the coffers of IFFCO & IPL and is a fraud upon the shareholders of IFFCO & IPL which consists of many State Marketing Federations wherein stakes are held by various State Governments,” the ED said.
Earlier, Enforcement Directorate had arrested Jain’s business partner A D Singh and Alok Kumar Agarwal with whom he had business relations. A D Singh had also received Rs 27.79 crore from Dubai through illicit means. Both Jain and Singh has used the vehicle provided by Agarwal to receive the proceed of crime in Bharat.
The ED had also filed a Prosecution Complaint before a Special Court in 2021 against six accused. Further investigation is under progress.
Earlier, it had emerged that Islamist propagandist Md. Zubair, who had instigated violence and murder by circulating an edited out-of-context video of Nupur Sharma to inflame Islamist passions, was kept in an air-conditioned room during his brief arrest by Delhi Police before he was given bail after high-priority SC hearings headed by current CJI Chandrachud.
Jails in many states have been turned into congenial retreats or even dens for illegal rackets – Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari was found to be Mukhtar Ansari running illegal activities from a jail in Punjab allegedly with protection and knowledge of the administration; likewise the cold-blooded Islamist killers of Hindu activist Harsha were found to be enjoying special treatment in Bengaluru’s main jail, talking on mobiles and making video calls.
(With IANS inputs)
