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SC grants interim bail to former Jharkhand mines secy Pooja Singhal
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) represented by additional solicitor general (ASG) Raju requested the top court that during this one-month, Singhal should not be permitted to enter Ranchi.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted a one-month interim bail to former Jharkhand mines secretary Pooja Singhal to facilitate her daughter’s medical treatment.
Granting bail to Singal, who is facing a money laundering probe, the apex court directed that the treatment required by her daughter who suffers from speech seizure shall be provided in Delhi or Mumbai and restrained Singhal from entering Ranchi except for attending the trial.
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The bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and AS Oka said, “We grant interim bail of one month for the time being from the date of release in view of the diagnosis required for the daughter of the petitioner.”
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) represented by additional solicitor general (ASG) Raju requested the top court that during this one-month, Singhal should not be permitted to enter Ranchi.
“She is highly influential. Let the treatment be done at Gurugram. Let her not enter Ranchi,” Raju said. The Supreme Court accepted the request and ruled, “The petitioner will not enter Ranchi except for trial. Let the treatment take place in Delhi-NCR or Mumbai.” The matter will now be heard on February 6.
Singhal sought bail before the Jharkhand high court but it was rejected on November 3. Against this order, she approached the top court.
On December 12, the top court asked ED to verify the medical condition of her daughter. ASG Raju filed a status report on behalf of ED and told the Supreme Court that upon verification, they found the medical reports of the daughter were shared with a doctor in Gurugram but no procedure was scheduled so far. Raju said the need for bail will arise only when surgery is scheduled.
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The bench told Raju, “There is a problem that you accept. In this situation, the mother wants to be looking after her. If she wants to be with the daughter even for pre-surgery, we will allow it.”
For Singhal, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra appeared and submitted to the Supreme Court that she may require two months’ bail. However, the top court agreed to consider the same when her main appeal seeking regular bail comes up for hearing in the first week of February. The top court further directed ED to file its response in that case within three weeks.
Singhal was arrested on May 11 last year by the ED on allegations of money laundering emanating from the MNREGA scam in the state.
Singhal was accused of amassing disproportionate assets and property worth over ₹82 crore was attached recently by ED which included a multispecialty hospital, diagnostics centre and land parcels in Ranchi.
