The high court’s order came while hearing a batch of petitions by Jain and others against the initiation of proceedings under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed that minister Satyendar Jain has been implicated in false cases after the High Court closed proceedings against Jain under the amended benami transactions law in consonance with a Supreme Court ruling.
The high court’s order came while hearing a batch of petitions by Jain and others against the initiation of proceedings under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016.
In August, the apex court had held that the 2016 Act did not have retrospective application and the authorities cannot initiate or continue criminal prosecution or confiscation proceedings for transactions entered into prior to the coming into force of the legislation.
According to Jain, the alleged benami transactions, from the proceeds of which certain attached assets were claimed to have been purchased, took place between 2011 and March 31, 2016 and so the amendment which came into effect in November 2016 will not apply.
“The court has dismissed the case against Satyendar Jain. They have forcibly put an honest man in jail for so many months. It would have been good if these people put their time towards nation building instead of fraudulent & bogus cases,” Kejriwal tweeted on Monday..
BJP’s IT department in-charge Amit Malviya, however, countered Kejriwal, saying Jain has been arrested under the anti-money laundering law PMLA and not under the 2016 Act. "Satyendar Jain has been arrested by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and not under the Benami Transaction (Prohibition) Amendment Act.
''The two are different cases. Despite your honesty certificate, Court has found incriminating evidence against Satyendar," he tweeted. Jain, 58, was arrested on May 30 by the Enforcement Directorate.
(With PTI Inputs)