"Brave man…the hero": Kejriwal after meeting ailing Satyendar Jain

Jain, who has been in Tihar Jail since his arrest by the ED in May last year in connection with a money laundering case, was on Friday last granted six-week interim bail by the Supreme Court, on medical grounds.

New Delhi:AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met ailing party leader Satyendar Jain at a hospital here on Sunday and described him as a "brave man" and "hero".

Jain, who has been in Tihar Jail since his arrest by the ED in May last year in connection with a money laundering case, was on Friday last granted six-week interim bail by the Supreme Court, on medical grounds. He was admitted to the hospital on Thursday last after he collapsed in prison due to dizziness, party sources had said. Sharing pictures of his meeting with Jain on Twitter, Kejriwal said, "Met the brave man.......the hero".

The former health minister was first admitted to the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hospital, and later, shifted to the Lok Nayak Jayaprakash (LNJP) Hospital due to breathing problems. The Supreme Court on Friday (May 26) allowed Jain to undergo treatment in a hospital of his choice. The court ordered his release until July 11, with strict instructions not to influence witnesses, tamper with evidence, or leave Delhi during this period. The case will be heard again on July 10, during which the latest medical reports of the Aam Aadmi Party leader will be presented.

Jain, 58, was urgently taken to Delhi's Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital on May 25 after collapsing in the washroom of Tihar Jail. He received oxygen support and was subsequently transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Initially, Jain was taken to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital and later referred to LNJP Hospital. Representing Jain, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi referred to reports from Delhi's GB Pant Hospital, which confirmed the urgent need for medical attention.

Singhvi argued for bail on humanitarian grounds, highlighting Jain's significant weight loss of 33 kg and his placement on the surgery list for vertebrae-related issues. Opposing the bail plea, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju expressed doubts about the authenticity of the medical reports from LNJP Hospital and requested an independent examination by Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The ASG stated that given Jain's previous positions as the health minister and prisons minister of Delhi, there were concerns about potential misuse of his influence. He also referred to a previous bail plea, withdrawn by Jain, which required examination by AIIMS doctors.

ASG Raju further questioned the credibility of medical reports from other hospitals and suggested an alternative explanation for Jain's weight loss. He mentioned the possibility that Jain's weight loss was due to his faith and the fasting associated with it. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raised this point in response to the AAP's claims of "unimaginable weight loss," stating that it may not be solely attributed to his time in jail.

It is worth noting that this is the second time in the past week that the former Delhi minister has been hospitalized. He was admitted to Safdarjung Hospital on Monday for a spinal injury.