Bombay HC rejects Covid-positive PNB accused’s temporary bail plea

The Bombay high court (HC) on Friday rejected plea for temporary bail by Hemant Bhatt, one of the accused in the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, after

The Bombay high court (HC) on Friday rejected plea for temporary bail by Hemant Bhatt, one of the accused in the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, after the 66-year-old tested positive for Covid-19.

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Justice Bharati Dangre rejected Bhatt’s plea in view of the fact that a Covid-19 patient can’t be allowed to be freed on temporary bail, and said that Bhatt will be required to be treated at a government hospital.

Acting on Bhatt’s plea, justice Dangre had on May 6 directed a public prosecutor to make a statement about the situation with regards to Covid-19 infection in Arthur Road jail.

Bhatt, in his plea filed through advocate Kiran Padalkar, said, “The applicant is aged 66 years and is a chronic heart patient who has undergone by-pass surgery, has been diagnosed with coronary artery disease and is also suffering from hypertension.” Bhatt had sought interim bail citing the Supreme Court’s directives to states and Union Territories to decongest prisons in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, counsel for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Hiten Venegaonkar, opposed the plea stating that pursuant to the directives of the apex Court, a high-power committee constituted by the state government has decided to grant temporary bail only to the prisoners charged with offences punishable with not more than seven years imprisonment, and Bhatt’s case did not fall under the purview of the same.

Justice Dangre had, however, noted the apprehension expressed by the accused because of his health condition along with the ongoing pandemic, and directed the public prosecutor to make the statement on Friday.

Accordingly, additional public prosecutor Shahaji Shinde on Friday informed the court that a number of inmates and some staff members of Arthur Road jail have tested positive for the infection and Bhatt was among the inmates who tested positive.

Bhatt has been arrested in connection the PNB fraud allegedly perpetuated by fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi. CBI has booked Bhatt and other accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The accused have also been booked by the Enforcement Directorate under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.