Bhushan Steel PMLA case: Court asks AIIMS to set up medical board and examine accused seeking medical bail

New Delhi [India], June 11 : The Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi recently asked All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to constitute a medical board and examine Nitin Johri, accused in Bhushan Steel Limited (BSL) money laundering case. Johri is seeking regular and interim bail on medical grounds.
Special CBI Judge Jagdish Kumar directed the Director of AIIMS to constitute a medical board as soon as possible to examine the accused Nitin Johri and file a report.
Johari is seeking relief on medical grounds.
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) opposed the bail application and submitted that the illness of the Johri is not so serious that cannot be treated while the applicant remains in custody, considering the allegations
against the applicant.
On the other hand Counsel for the accused submitted that bail on medical grounds can be granted to the accused only on the basis of medical documents. He also relied on past judgments of the Higher Court.
Opposing the submission, the Counsel for ED submitted that an opinion can be taken from the medical Board regarding the medical condition of the applicant.
After hearing the rival contentions, the court deemed it appropriate for a Medical Board to be constituted to undertake the proper evaluation of the applicant/accused's medical condition.
"Accordingly, the Director, AIIMS is requested to constitute a Medical Board at the earliest. IO is directed to appear before the Director, AIIMS along with a copy of this order and the requisite medical documents of applicant/accused Nitin Johri annexed with the bail application for constitution of said board," the court said in the order passed on June 6.
It further ordered that Once the Board is constituted, the IO shall coordinate and inform the Jail authority about the date of appearance of the applicant/accused before the Board.
It also directed that the Jail Authority shall also produce the
applicant before the Medical Board on the date being fixed by the Board for examination of the applicant.
"The Board shall endeavour to examine the applicant/accused at the earliest and submit a report on or before 02.07.2024," the Court directed.
The court has directed the Superintendent of Jail to provide the best possible medical treatment to him from a Government Hospital.
The court said, "Even if, the necessity arises that the applicant/accused has to be treated in a Specialized Hospital, on the advice of the doctor at a Government Hospital, the applicant/accused may provide the treatment at a suggested private hospital. The treatment expenses at a private hospital shall be borne by the applicant/accused."
Accused Nitin Johri is a former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of BSL. He was arrested by the SFIO in 2019.
A case of Money laundering was also registered by the ED. He along with others accused in January 2024.