Delhi
High Court on Wednesday extended interim bail of accused businessman Amit Arora
in Delhi Excise Policy case till August 30, noting his precarious health
condition.
Arora
had filed a regular bail application seeking relief under the provison to
Section 45 of the PMLA as his bail is set to expire on August 21.
"Till the next date
of hearing i.e., 30.08.2024, the applicant/petitioner is granted interim bail
on account of his precarious medical condition, upon his furnishing a personal
bond in the sum of Rs. 2,00,000/- and one surety of the like amount," the
court said.
Senior
Advocate Vikas Pahwa, along with Advocate Prabhav Ralli, argued for interim
bail on the grounds of Arora's urgent need for hospitalisation and his
prolonged detention of approximately 16 months. They also cited the recent
judgment in the Manish Sisodia vs. Directorate of Enforcement case.
Recently,
Arora's counsel informed the court of Justice Neena Bansal Krishna that he is
suffering from life-threatening diseases. The medical records indicate that on
August 16, Arora was brought to a clinic with symptoms including
breathlessness, cough, dyspnoea on exertion, and fever. He was subsequently
referred to a hospital where he was advised to be admitted and given oxygen.
Amit Arora had been out
on interim bail since August 12, following an order by a special judge under
the Prevention of Corruption Act.
In
November 2022, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested businessman Amit Arora
in connection with the money laundering investigation related to the Delhi
excise policy case.
Arora,
who is the director of Buddy Retail Private Limited based in Gurugram, has been
named in the FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in this
matter.