NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a bail plea of Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji on medical grounds, finding his sickness not to be "serious or life-threatening".
A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Subhash Chandra Sharma, went though health reports, to tell Balajis counsel that his clients sickness doesn't appear to be serious or life-threatening.
Balaji questioned validity of the Madras High Court's order which had on October 19 dismissed his bail plea
The high court had said that he was likely to influence witnesses if enlarged on bail.
For Balaji, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi submitted that his client is sick and he had a bypass.
"Today, bypass is like getting an appendix removed," the bench said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, said 70% of inmates would be sick if we go by the plea advanced by the petitioner.
The bench said the petitioner may apply for regular bail, as the court is not satisfied with his clients illness.
Rohatgi said he would withdraw the plea for bail on health grounds and apply for regular bail.
The court dismissed the petition as withdrawn.
Any observation made in the interim order against the petitioner on merits shall not come in the way of the petitioner in filing regular bail application, the bench said.
On November 20, the Supreme Court directed DMK minister V Senthil Balaji, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case, to submit his latest medical reports.
The high court, in its order, had also said the health report of Balaji did not appear to reflect a medical condition which could be taken care of only if he was released on bail.
Balaji was on June 14, 2023 arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, after the Supreme Court allowed the CBI and ED to go ahead with its probe in a cash for jobs scam.
