The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved a CBI probe under the Prevention of Corruption Act against AAP leader and former Delhi Prisons Minister Satyendar Jain, official sources said on Friday.

Jain, who is jailed in a money laundering case, is accused of extorting Rs 10 crore from convict Sukesh Chandrashekhar for providing him protection in jail, they said.

Reacting to the development, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar claimed, “BJP’s vindictive and hate-filled politics have now reached a new low with the words of a notorious liar being believed and accepted as targeting a person of gospel truth. World famous mohalla clinic concept in delhi.”

Before his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in May 2022, Jain held several important positions in the Arvind Kejriwal government, including the health department.

Apart from Jain, former Tihar jail superintendent Sandeep Goel and some other staff members have also been accused of demanding and extorting “protection money” from high-profile prisoners in Delhi jails.

An official confirmed that the ministry approved the CBI probe into Jain on March 22, following which Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena forwarded the file to the chief secretary for further appropriate action.

He said after Chandrashekhar lodged a complaint, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) started investigating the matter and sought sanction from the competent authorities to prosecute the former minister under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Chandrashekhar, who is lodged in Tihar Jail in a money laundering case, said in his complaint, “Jain personally or through his associates extorted Rs 10 crore from him in installments during 2018-21 as protection fee to help him ‘live’ a peaceful and comfortable life in different jails in Delhi,” he said.

He also said that some jail officials allegedly extorted Rs 1,250 crore from him in installments between 2019-22.

Kakar said the Delhi local government was responsible for law and order in the national capital, adding that the day was not far when the BJP would face “serious consequences” both electorally and legally.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)