AAP's Satyendar Jain granted bail in Delhi Jal Board corruption case; court asks him to furnish ₹2 lakh bond

A Delhi court on Thursday granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain in a corruption case linked to the Delhi Jal Board, according to PTI.

“Bail plea is allowed,” Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh said while pronouncing the brief oral order. The court asked Jain to submit a personal bond of ₹2 lakh and provide two sureties for the same amount.

Jain was sent to judicial custody for 14 days on August 19.

He was physically produced before the court, while the other accused appeared via video conference. The court will hear their bail pleas on September 5.

The case relates to a tender awarded to Euroteck Environmental Private Limited during Jain’s tenure as Delhi’s water minister.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) alleged that the tender conditions were manipulated, with the bidding process deliberately designed around specific technological requirements to favour Euroteck Environmental.

The agency also alleged that Jain unilaterally raised the capacity of the Rohini sewage treatment plant (STP) from 15 million gallons per day (mgd) to 30 mgd without conducting a technical feasibility assessment. This, it claimed, led to a cost increase of about ₹123 crore.

The ACB further alleged that commissions were transferred through intermediaries and ultimately deposited into the bank accounts of several accused individuals.

The case was filed in May 2024 following a complaint from the Directorate of Vigilance, which flagged alleged widespread irregularities, manipulation of bidding conditions and a criminal conspiracy in the Delhi Jal Board’s tendering process for upgrading and expanding STPs.

CM Mann, Punjab Assembly Speaker slammed BJP, Shah after Jain's arrest

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on August 19 alleged that the “BJP's way of working is to arrest prominent leaders during the elections.” He also claimed that the BJP was “rattled” ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections and had been “unable to gain a foothold” in the state, as per ANI.

Punjab Legislative Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan alleged that the arrests reflect Union Home Minister Amit Shah's “way of fighting elections”.

“Satyendar Jain had previously been imprisoned for 2 years, yet not a single charge levelled against him in court was proven. This is not action taken against a crime; rather, it is Amit Shah's way of fighting elections...however, the people of Punjab overcome fear; they confront and fight it, so they are not the sort to be intimidated. This is entirely political...ED is acting as an arm of BJP's election campaign. The issue being raised pertains to a time when he was already in jail...”