PMC Bank fraud case: HC asks jail authorities to submit health details of Wadhawans

The Bombay high court (HC) directed Maharashtra government to give details about the health status of HDIL promoters Rakesh Wadhawan and Sarang Wadhawan, arrested

The Bombay high court (HC) directed Maharashtra government to give details about the health status of HDIL promoters Rakesh Wadhawan and Sarang Wadhawan, arrested on charges of money laundering in the PMC Bank (Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative) fraud case. After the Wadhawans sought bail on the grounds that Arthur Road jail had Covid-19 infected inmates and they had an apprehension of contracting the virus due to their medical condition, the court directed jail authorities to submit details of the measures put in place to protect prisoners from contacting the virus.

HT Image

The bench of justice Bharati Dangre while hearing the bail applications of the father-son duo was informed that as there had been numerous cases of Covid positive inmates and jail staff in Arthur Road and as they had some medical conditions, they apprehended a threat to their lives, hence sought bail. Advocate Amit Desai for the Wadhawans informed the court that if they were granted bail, they would observe self-quarantine and will be available at the given address.

However, public prosecutor Prajakta Shinde opposed the applications on behalf of the state and said that sufficient measures were put in place by the prison authorities for the safety of the prisoners, hence the apprehensions of the applicants were unfounded.

After hearing the submissions, justice Dangre observed that the Wadhawans were safer in the jail rather than being outside it. She, however, directed the jail authorities to submit details of the precautionary measures put in place for the safety of prisoners after positive cases were reported in the jail. She also asked the authorities to submit a report with details of the barracks in which the Wadhawans were kept and posted the matter for hearing on June 12.