WB coal case: Delhi HC seeks comprehensive medical report of Gurupada Maji

New Delhi [India], February 3 : The Delhi High Court on Friday directed to file a comprehensive medical report on the health condition of Gurupada Maji. He is an accused in the West Bengal coal mining money laundering case. He sought four weeks' bail on medical grounds.
Earlier, On January 13, the medical board at Safdarjung hospital filed a preliminary medical report on the matter.
Justice Jasmeet Singh called for a comprehensive medical report on all ailments of the petitioner Maji after hearing the contention of his counsel.
The court listed the matter on February 15.
The counsel for the state submitted that a preliminary report has already been filed. Now only the MRI report is to be submitted.
Petitioner's Counsel Sumer Singh Boparai opposed the stand that it is not about the MRI. A petition has other problems also. A medical report on all his ailments is called. His bail has been pending for the last two months and his health condition is deteriorating.
The High Court on December 21, 2022, directed the Director of Safdarjung hospital to constitute a medical board and examine Gurupada Maji.
The bench had directed the hospital to file the medical report.
Senior advocates N Hariharan and P K Dubey urged the bench to constitute a medical board to examine the petitioner.
Maji has moved a plea through Advocate Boparai seeking medical bail for the treatment.
The Applicant has stated that he is suffering from multiple body ailments; however, he is not being provided proper medical attention and care.
It has been stated that he is suffering from diabetes, and haemorrhoids and facing tremors and voluntary muscle movement due to a neurological condition.
His earlier regular bail application was dismissed by a Special Court on September 22. The order has been challenged before the High Court.
According to ED, Gurupada Maji is one of the partners of Anup Majee, the kingpin of illegal coal mining business activities in West Bengal.
The Special Judge Anurag Sain in an order passed on September 20, 2022, said, considering the parameters of Section 45 (1) PMLA, I find no reasonable ground for believing that applicant/accused Gurupada Maji is not guilty of the alleged offences. From a prima facie view of the material placed on record and in light of the gravity of the alleged offences, it cannot be said either that the applicant/accused is not likely to commit any such offence while on bail.
While opposing the bail plea it was submitted by the ED that in the investigation conducted so far, the present accused has received proceeds of crime of Rs. 89.4 crore and thus, the accused has been involved in the commission of the offence of money laundering. Further accused has acquired many Kolkata-based shell companies to project POCs generated from illegal coal mining activities as an untainted fund.
Earlier, On August 2, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) filed a supplementary Prosecution Complaint (PC) before the Rouse Avenue Court (New Delhi) in the case of an illegal coal mining case by Anup Majee and others.
In the said supplementary Prosecution Complaint, Gurupada Maji & 6 companies controlled by him have been arrayed as accused. Gurupado Maji was arrested by ED on 26/05/2022 and currently was in judicial custody.
ED had initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by the CBI, Kolkata against Anup Majee, several other officials of ECL and other public servants and private persons for illegal excavation and theft of coal from the leasehold area of ECL in active connivance of the officials of ECL, CISF, Indian Railways and concerned other departments for alleged commission of a cognizable offence under various sections of IPC and Section 13(2) r/w section 13(1)(a) of the P.C. Act,1988. The total proceeds of crime identified till date is Rs. 2742.32 Crore.