Mumbai: HC reserves order in Deshmukh’s bail plea in corruption case 

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday reserved order in the bail plea of former state minister Anil Deshmukh in a corruption case registered against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). 

Deshmukh, 73, had approached the HC after a special CBI court rejected his bail plea last month. He sought bail both on medical grounds and merits. 

Justice MS Karnik heard the NCP leader’s bail plea at length for three days and reserved the order.

His bail plea contends that he is suffering from several ailments and has been incarcerated since almost a year and the trial in the case may not commence anytime soon. The plea claimed that the special court, while refusing him bail, merely did a “cut, copy and paste” of the CBI charge sheet.

The CBI has opposed the plea saying Mr Deshmukh can’t be automatically granted bail in the corruption case just because he was granted bail in the money laundering case.

Deshmukh was arrested last November by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. In April this year, the CBI arrested him in a corruption case. He is at present in judicial custody and lodged at the Arthur Road Jain in Mumbai. 

On October 4, he was granted bail by the HC in the money laundering case.