The Supreme Court Wednesday directed the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate apprise it of their stand on plea of Dheeraj Wadhawan, a promoter of Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) and an accused in the Yes Bank fraud case, seeking interim bail on medical grounds. A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli asked the agencies as to why they want to keep the accused in jail and for what purpose when the charge sheet has been filed.
“We want to know as to for what purposes you want to keep him in jail. Do you want further investigation or what? Let him remain in jail or hospital. Tell us what you want to get out of him now…You are not denying that he has been in jail for 20 odd months,” said the bench during the hearing.
“Additional Solicitor General is directed to obtain instructions on the prayer of the petitioner for bail on medical grounds, in the meantime,” the bench ordered and listed the plea for further on January 4.
During the hearing, additional solicitor general S V Raju, appearing for CBI and ED, said the accused has been in one of the best hospitals in the country and has been getting the best available treatment at the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital.
“This is one of the greatest scams where the huge amount of money of the bank has been siphoned off and around Rs 600 crore has been paid as kickback and the money of middle class and poor people has been taken away,” the law officer said and sought time for responding to the bail plea.
“Can you afford to argue this for opposing the bail plea on medical grounds,” the bench asked.
The law officer said he was responding to the query as to why the agencies want the accused to remain in jail and so far as the medical grounds are concerned, firstly the health conditions are exaggerated and secondly, the best available treatment at one of the best hospitals.
ALL INDIA LEGAL FORUM 