NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has further extended the interim bail of Satyendar Kumar Jain, a prominent figure in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), until December 4 in connection with a money laundering case. This extension comes as his plea for permanent bail is scheduled for a hearing on the aforementioned date, following an order from Justice Bela M. Trivedi's bench.

The delay in the regular bail hearing was due to Justice A.S. Bopanna's unavailability on the day of the extension, prompting the court to push the matter forward to December 4. The bench emphasized that Jain's earlier interim bail remains effective until the upcoming hearing.

Previously, the Supreme Court had extended Jain's interim bail until October 9 while cautioning against using the pendency of proceedings as a tactic to stall the trial. Allegations from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) suggested that Jain sought numerous adjournments in the trial court, citing the pending bail plea in the apex court. The probe agency claimed that Jain had managed to secure as many as 16 adjournment dates.

The apex court had initially granted Jain interim bail on May 26 to undergo spinal surgery for a period of six weeks, upholding an individual's right to seek private medical treatment at personal expense. Later, on September 12, the interim bail was extended until September 25 in connection to the ongoing case.

Jain's arrest by the ED on May 30 the previous year revolved around accusations of money laundering via four companies allegedly associated with him. The arrest stemmed from a CBI FIR filed against him in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Notably, Jain had been granted regular bail by the trial court on September 6, 2019, concerning the case registered by the CBI.

As the legal proceedings continue, the extension of Jain's interim bail highlights the ongoing complexities and legal intricacies surrounding the case involving the AAP leader.
 
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