AAP minister Jain withdraws contempt plea against ED

New Delhi (IANS) Jailed Delhi minister and AAP leader Satyendar Jain on Monday sought withdrawal of his contempt plea filed against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the Rouse Avenue Court here. He had alleged that the agency leaked certain CCTV footage on the national news channels.

Special Judge Vikas Dhull allowed the withdrawal of the application, with the liberty to approach the appropriate forum as Jain's counsel also sought the same. According to Jain, the video clips from inside his prison cell were aired on news channels.

Last week, senior advocate Rahul Mehra appearing for Jain in the court contended that "we just want a fair trial. Even Ajmal Kasab was given that. I (Jain) am surely not worse than that".

During the hearing, Mehra presented the screenshots of the news being run on channels before the court. He also stated that "even last time, the affidavit of the Tihar Jail was leaked".

Representing ED, Public Prosecutor Zoheb Hossain opposed the contempt plea. He said that there has been no leak from the agency. The ED's counsel submitted a list of jail authorities of Tihar who have either been transferred or have been suspended. He added that the list includes top authorities as well.

Disagreeing with what ED said, Mehra alleged that it is aired by the agency itself and the jail authorities cannot do it. Requesting the transfer of his case to the High Court, he also asked the court to conduct a free and fair inquiry into the leakage of the videos and what the investigating agency has to say about it.

Hossain contended that they (Jain's counsel) were not questioning the veracity of the video, they were just questioning the leak. He argued that the pen drive comprising the videos of the prison cell was taken from the jail authority. "There are several repositories involved," he added.