sc-rejects-jaswant-singh-majra-s-interim-bail-plea

The Supreme Court has denied interim bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Jaswant Singh Gajjan Majra from Punjab. Majra sought the bail to campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

 

He represents the Amargarh assembly constituency in Malerkotla and was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to a bank fraud case.

 

A vacation bench consisting of Justices Sanjay Karol and Aravind Kumar issued a notice to the ED, seeking its response to Majra's plea for interim bail until June 4 to participate in the election campaign.

 

The voting for Punjab’s 13 Lok Sabha seats is scheduled for June 1, with the vote counting set for June 4.

 

Despite Majra's request, the bench stated that it was not inclined to grant interim relief without hearing the responses from the other parties involved. The Supreme Court has requested replies within a week.

 

Earlier, on May 24, the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed Majra’s plea challenging his arrest. Following this, he approached the Supreme Court for relief.

 

The case against Majra involves an alleged bank fraud amounting to Rs 40 crore. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted raids on premises linked to him in May 2023.

 

Furthermore, in September 2022, the ED conducted raids on several locations associated with Majra as part of the money laundering probe, seizing Rs 32 lakh in cash, multiple mobile phones, and hard drives.

 

Majra’s legal troubles have been significant, with the CBI and ED both actively investigating the allegations against him. The denial of interim bail means that Majra will remain in custody as the Lok Sabha elections proceed, potentially impacting his ability to campaign effectively for his party.

 

Majra’s arrest and the subsequent legal proceedings have garnered attention, not only due to the amount involved in the alleged fraud but also because of its timing with the Lok Sabha elections.

 

As the case progresses, it will be closely watched for its implications on political campaigns and judicial decisions in similar contexts.