The Delhi High Court on Saturday put a stay on a lower court order that allowed Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain to have a lawyer present during his interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, Bar and Bench reported.

The Enforcement Directorate had arrested Jain on May 30. A day later, a special court had remanded him to the agency’s custody till June 9. It had 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 Enforcement Directorate had challenged the order to allow the presence of Jain’s lawyer.

On Saturday, Justice Yogesh Khanna of the High Court held that since there is no official complaint against Jain, he does not have the right to have his lawyer present during the questioning. The judge observed that since the interrogation can be videographed and audio recorded, there was no apprehension about coercion by the central agency.

The matter has been listed for next hearing on August 24.

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 has 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.