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Synopsis

The Delhi High Court has extended by a period of two weeks the interim bail of Gurupada Maji, an accused in a money laundering case linked to an alleged coal mining scam in West Bengal.

Maji had sought an extension of interim bail on medical grounds.

Senior Advocate N. Hariharan on behalf of Maji contended, “I am seeking extension of interim bail. While in custody he has developed a situation called Focal dystonia, which is a neurological condition that causes involuntary muscle contractions in one body part. There was radiating pain when he went to the hospital to get it checked…The treatment is being carried out because it is both neurological and has something to do with the Orthopedic part”.

“Apart from that he was also having gastrointestinal infection, which has been cured”, he added.

On the contrary, Special Public Prosecutor Anurag S. Sharma, on behalf of the ED, vehemently opposed the extension and submitted that the process of interim bail started in 2022. He stated that the first time Maji was released on custody parole from August 25, 2022, to September 3, 2022 for his mother’s funeral and was directed to be accompanied by three police personnel in plain clothes.

The SPP further stated that he is already on interim bail, as per order dated September 5, whereby the court had granted ten days' interim bail’ to Maji for performing the annual ‘Shraddha’ and rituals of his deceased mother.

Furthermore, he submitted that Maji is perfectly fine and does not need an extension, as he is not required to be further admitted in the hospital.

The bench of Justice Jyoti Singh noted that Maji was granted interim bail on September 5, which was later extended on September 20 till today i.e. September 26.

On perusal of the status report, the court said, “As per the report, petitioner had presented himself in the emergency department of Citizen Hospital on September 18 with complaint of severe nausea, vomiting, associated with severe headache, pain in the back of the neck, etc”.

It also noted that the petitioner was admitted to the general ward with medicines with provisional diagnosis.

Taking note of the submissions, the court allowed extension of the interim bail by two weeks and clarified that no further extension would be given after this.

“This court is of the opinion that the interim bail of the petitioner be extended by a period of two-weeks from today, making it clear that no further extension will be given", the court ordered.

According to ED, Maji is one of the partners of Anup Majee, the kingpin of illegal coal mining business activities in West Bengal.

The ED on August 2, 2022 had filed a supplementary charge prosecution complaint (PC) before the Rouse Avenue Court, Delhi in the case of illegal coal mining by Anup Majee and others. In the supplementary PC, Maji and six companies controlled by him have been arrayed as accused, and Maji was arrested by the ED on May 25, 2022.

Case Title: Gurupada Maji v. Directorate of Enforcement