HC directs constitution of medical board to examine accused in money laundering case

New Delhi, Dec 21 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the constitution of a medical board to examine money laundering case accused Gurupada Maji on his plea for interim bail on medical grounds in a matter linked to an alleged coal mining scam in West Bengal.

Justice Amit Sharma directed the Safdarjung Hospital to constitute the board within one week after examining the report given by Tihar jail authorities.

Maji’s counsel said he is suffering from diabetes and bleeding from rectum.

“With consent of parties, it is directed that a medical board be constituted to examine the medical condition of the applicant in order to ascertain the exact ailment and necessary treatment to be provided,” said the court.

“In the circumstances, the medical superintendent of Safdarjung Hospital is directed to constitute an appropriate medical board after going through the medical report (given by Tihar Jail authorities). It is directed that the medical board be constituted within one week from today and the report may be sent to court,” the court ordered.

The court directed that the matter be listed for hearing on January 13 when the accused’s plea for bail in the case is already listed for consideration.

Maji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in May.

The ED has claimed that Maji is a partner of prime accused in the case Anup Majee and he “received more than Rs 66 crore from the proceeds of crime generated through illegal coal mining business from Anup Majee alias Lala and his associates”.

In September, a trial court had refused to grant bail to him in the money laundering case, saying it did not find a reasonable ground for believing that the accused was not guilty of the alleged offences.

The ED case of money laundering stems from a November 2020 FIR registered by the CBI that alleged a multi-crore-rupee coal pilferage scam related to Eastern Coalfields Limited mines in West Bengal’s Kunustoria and Kajora areas in and around Asansol.

A charge sheet was filed by the ED in the case in May last year.

The agency has said that the total proceeds of crime in the case stand at Rs 1,352 crore and it has attached assets of Rs 180 crore.

Abhishek Banerjee, TMC MP and nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been questioned in this case by the ED even as his wife Rujira was summoned.