The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sought the President's sanction to prosecute former Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain under Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. The move follows an Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation that reportedly provided “adequate evidence” linking Jain to alleged hawala transactions and money laundering.

Jain, arrested by the ED in May 2022, has been accused of possessing disproportionate assets and laundering money. The charges stem from a 2017 FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and a subsequent chargesheet in 2018, which claimed Jain's assets were ₹1.47 crore—217% higher than his known sources of income during 2015-17.

After over a year in Tihar Jail, Jain was granted bail in October 2023, with the court citing a lack of progress in the trial. Despite his release on a personal bond of ₹50,000, Jain continues to face political and legal challenges. In the recent Delhi Assembly elections, he lost his Shakur Basti seat to BJP's Karnail Singh by a margin of 21,000 votes, adding to his setbacks.

The MHA's request for prosecution sanction underscores the gravity of the allegations against Jain. If granted, it could pave the way for his trial and further intensify political battles between the AAP and its rivals.