Satyendar Jain
'Even Ajmal Kasab got fair trial': Jailed Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain's plea in court
New Delhi/IBNS: As videos of alleged VIP treatment to Satyendar Jain in Tihar Jail surfaced, the Delhi Minister told a trial court on Tuesday that he has not even been getting "proper" food and medical check-up.
Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra, representing the jailed minister, said Jain, who is facing a money laundering probe, has lost around 28 kg in custody.
Special Judge Vikas Dhull was hearing arguments on Satyendar Jain's contempt plea against the central probe agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the alleged leak of footage from inside his jail cell to the media.
The court has listed the matter for Nov 28 for detailed arguments.
Jain's lawyer also argued that the ED is leaking sensitive information to the media despite the court's orders. "I am defamed every single minute by their act," the lawyer, speaking for the Delhi Minister, said.
"Even Ajmal Kasab got a free and fair trial," he said, referring to the Pakistani terrorist hanged for the 26/11 Mumbai attack. "I am surely not worse than that. All I seek is a fair and free trial. Please look at the kind of media reports that are running against [Satyendar Jain] and that is in [the agencies'] interest," he submitted.
He also denied the ED allegations of getting privileged treatment. "What privilege are they talking about... I have lost 28 kg in jail. Is this what a privileged person in jail gets? I'm not even getting proper food... No prison rules are violated if an undertrial is pressing his hand or feet," he said.
This comes after a viral video showing jailed Satyendar Jain taking a massage in Tihar jail emerged sparking a verbal fight between the city's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The video shows Jain reading some papers while lying down in jail keeping a foot on a man's lap to receive the massage.
Despite being in jail for last five months, Satyendra Jain continues to be a minister in Arvind Kejriwal’s cabinet. He has been provided a masseur, TV, bed, bottled water and all facilities, in gross violation of jail rules.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) November 19, 2022
Why would Kejriwal not sack him? What is he scared of? pic.twitter.com/ko9QxMp2Lp
The AAP has claimed that these were "physiotherapy sessions mandated as part of his treatment".
The party has repeatedly said the central agency ED is being misused by the BJP government to keep Jain in jail since June.
However, the "physiotherapy" claims were damaged severely earlier in the day as reports said the "masseur" is an undertrial prisoner, a rape accused.
In court, ED's lawyer Zohaib Hossain submitted that Jain was advised physiotherapy so he was taking it. He said there "not a single leak" by the central agency. "We will see that guilty are brought to justice," the advocate said.
The probe agency also said that the jail cell footage has been given to Jain's team in a pen drive.
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