More trouble for AAP? Centre approves CBI probe against Satyendar Jain in extortion case

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) accorded sanction for an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against jailed AAP leader Satyendar Jain under the Prevention of Corruption (POC) Act, sources told news agency ANI on Friday.

Jain was accused of extorting ₹10 crore from conman Sukash Chandrashekhar as "protection money".

On March 2, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had sanctioned a CBI inquiry under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Jain.

"Delhi LG [Lieutenant Governor] VK Saxena, in February this year, had sent the proposal of the CBI to the MHA for granting approval to prosecute/ investigate Jain u/s 17A of PoC Act," sources were quoted as saying.

What is Jain accused of?

The L-G office said in a statement earlier in March that Jain is accused of running a high-profile extortion racket from Tihar Jail. He allegedly demanded ₹10 crore as "protection money" from Chandrashekhar, the statement from L-G office added.

The case was filed after Sukesh Chandrashekhar alleged that Jain had extorted and received ₹10 crore from him in various tranches during 2018-21, either personally or through his accomplices, as protection money, so as to enable him "to live peacefully and comfortably in different jails of Delhi (Tihar, Rohini and Mandoli)”.

Jain was Minister (Jail) during this period in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)  government.

Jain was earlier arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. He was also lodged in Tihar Jail where he had allegedly influenced the jail officials into providing him with body massage and other VIP treatment, ANI reported citing the statement.

Apart from Satyendra Jain and then Superintendent of Tihar Jail Raj Kumar, Sukesh had also accused Sandeep Goel and one Mukesh Prasad of extorting ₹12.50 crore in various tranches during 2019-22 from him.

Who is Sukesh Chandrasekhar?

Chandrasekhar is accused of cheating and extortion by Aditi Singh, wife of former Religare Enterprises promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh.

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Singh alleged that Chandrasekhar and his associates took money from her after posing as government officials and promising to get bail for her husband while he was lodged in Rohini jail, it added.

More trouble for AAP?

The fresh CBI inquiry against Satyendar Jain came at a time when AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate till April 1.

Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 in connection with the money laundering case linked to the Excise police.

(With inputs from ANI)