Death of irony: Satyendar Jain, minister for jails to remain in jail

In an ostensible mention about the ‘clean politics’ agenda of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mentioned at a public rally that those who call themselves incorrigibly honest (kattar imandar) can be seen raising hands together with those convicted of corruption. He was referring to the photograph of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal with Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Yadav has been convicted of corruption in the infamous fodder scam cases of Bihar and thus made illegible for contesting elections. Arvind Kejriwal, however, in a way is doing one better on Lalu Prasad Yadav, who had decided to quit when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) came to arrest him. Unlike Yadav, Kejriwal has allowed his cabinet colleague Satyender Jain to continue in office despite being arrested as far back as May 31 this year in a much graver case of money laundering.

The attempts to get bail by the Minister despite hiring best of the lawyers has failed so far. Rejecting his application last week, the trial judge said, “prima facie Jain was actually involved in concealing the proceeds of crime by giving cash to the Kolkata-based entry operators and thereafter, bringing the cash into three companies... against the sale of shares to show that income of these three companies was untainted one.”

The court in its order further said that “By this process, the proceeds of crime to the tune of 1/3rd of Rs 4.61 crore has been laundered. Apart from that, Jain has also used the same modus operandi to convert his proceeds of crime of Rs 15 lakh by receiving accommodation entries from Kolkata-based entry operators in his company by the name of JJ Ideal Estate Pvt Ltd.”

The judge in his order finally said, “Hence, the applicant/accused Satyender Kumar Jain has prima facie indulged in the offence of money laundering of more than Rs 1 crore.”Doesn’t this indict the minister morally enough to resign from the Cabinet and let there be a fair trial?

Jain is serving as Minister for Jails and the irony is that is lodged in the Tihar Jail which is under him. Being lodged inside the jail he has managed to have a ‘luxurious’ stay has led to many jail officials facing the music. At the last count, the Director General of Prisons had been shifted and 12 jail officials suspended. But no reprimand for Jain yet from AAP.

Arvind Kejriwal has remained quiet on the matter despite a recent High Court order, where he was reminded of his role to preserve, protect and promote the ethos and uphold the tenets of the Constitution.  While passing the order, the court said, “The Chief Minister exercises his/her discretion in choosing the Members of Cabinet and to formulate a policy pertaining to the appointment of Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers has a collective responsibility to sustain and uphold the integrity of the Constitution of India, and it is for the Chief Minister to act in the best interest of the State and consider as to whether a person who has a criminal background and/or has been charged with offences involving moral turpitude should be appointed and should be allowed to continue as a Minister or not.”

While Kejriwal does his image projection with a photo of maker of the constitution Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar as the backdrop but doesn’t acknowledge what Baba Saheb had said, “However good a Constitution may be, it is sure to turn out bad because those who are called to work it, happen to be a bad lot. The working of the Constitution does not depend wholly upon the nature of the Constitution.”

Sidharth Mishra
 Author and president, Centre for Reforms, Development & Justice