The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday filed a petition in the Delhi High Court challenging a special court’s order mandating the presence of Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Jain’s counsel during his interrogation, Bar and Bench reported.

The Enforcement Directorate had arrested Jain, who is the Delhi health minister, on May 30. A day later, a special court had remanded him to the agency’s custody till June 9. However, it directed that the minister’s lawyer should be allowed to remain present during his interrogation at a distance from where he could see his client but not hear him.

The central agency’s lawyer on Thursday mentioned the case before a bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Sachin Datta, seeking an urgent hearing, the Hindustan Times reported. The court said that it will list the case for hearing on Friday.

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Jain in a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. It has alleged that five firms – Akinchan Developers Private Limited, Indo Metal Impex Private Limited, Paryas Infosolutions Private Limited, Manglayatan Projects Private Limited and JJ Ideal Estate Private Limited – are shell companies controlled by Jain and his relatives.

The agency alleged that money routed through the companies was used for buying land or for repaying loans taken for buying agricultural land in and around Delhi.

In April, the Enforcement Directorate had attached immovable property worth Rs 4.81 crore allegedly belonging to companies linked to Jain and his relatives.

However, on Tuesday, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the case against Jain was politically motivated. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged that the central agency was pursuing the case as Jain is the AAP’s in-charge for the Himachal Pradesh elections.

“The BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] is afraid of losing the elections and hence he was arrested to prevent him from going to Himachal,” Sisodia alleged.