The Bombay High Court on Monday granted interim bail to Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal for two months on medical grounds in connection with a money laundering case linked with Canara Bank.
A bench of Justice NJ Jamadar said Goyal should pay a surety of Rs 1 lakh and not leave Mumbai without prior permission from the special court.
"The applicant (Goyal) shall be released on interim bail for a period of two months. He shall abide by all conditions imposed," Justice Jamadar said.
The High Court also directed Goyal to surrender his passport.
Goyal sought interim bail on medical and humanitarian grounds as both he and his wife Anita Goyal are suffering from cancer.
In February this year, a special court refused Goyal bail but permitted him to be admitted to a private hospital of his choice and seek medical treatment.
Goyal's bail plea was formally rejected in March by a lower court, after which the Jet Airways founder filed a bail plea in the High Court seeking bail on merits, and to be released on interim bail on medical grounds.
Goyal's counsel, Harish Salve and Aabad Ponda, along with Ameet Naik, had urged the court to consider the case on humanitarian grounds as he is suffering from cancer.
Enforcement Directorate's (ED) lawyers Hiten Venegaonkar and Aayush Kedia had vehemently opposed the bail and said the agency did not have any problem if his hospitalisation was extended.
Venegaonkar had said the court may extend his hospitalisation for four weeks and then call for a fresh medical report to assess his situation.
Salve, however, said apart from deteriorating physical health, Goyal's mental health was also not good.
In September last year, Goyal was arrested by the ED on allegations that he had laundered money and siphoned off loans to the tune of Rs 538.62 crore given to Jet Airways by Canara Bank.
His wife, Anita Goyal, was arrested in November of that year when the ED submitted its chargesheet in the case. She was granted bail by the special court on the same day, considering her age and medical condition.
Source: India Today