Mumbai: Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal has approached the Bombay High Court seeking extension of the interim medical bail granted to him contending that his health continues to remain poor and that he lost his wife to cancer last month.
Arrested in a money laundering case involving a multi-crore loan in September 2023, Goyal was granted medical bail on May 6 for two months on furnishing a surety of Rs 1 lakh. Goyal was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Goyal, 75, has now sought extension of his medical bail citing his continued poor health. His plea also states that he lost his wife to cancer on May 16.
On Tuesday, his bail plea came up for hearing before Justice Manish Pitale. The judge referred to a circular issued by high court registrar in February stating, in applications where earlier pleas were considered and decided by a particular judge, then those applications shall be placed before the same bench.
Accordingly, Justice Pitale directed the high court registry department to place Goyal's application before the single bench of Justice NJ Jamadar, who had granted him interim bail in May for two months. Goyal's counsels Aabad Ponda and Ameet Naik said they would mention the plea before Justice Jamadar on Wednesday.
Goyal was arrested by the ED in September 2023 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 2023 when the ED submitted its chargesheet in the case. She was granted bail by the special court the same day considering her age and medical condition. She died on May 16.
