Mumbai The special PMLA court has ordered industrialist Nihal Garware, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in March this year in connection with the J&K bank money laundering case, to return to Arthur Road jail from Breach Candy hospital where he has been admitted since June 7.
Special judge M G Deshpande issued the order primarily in view of the report submitted by the Dean of Grant Medical College, stating that Garware, of Garware Industries, no longer required hospitalisation and can now be treated at out-patient departments of any of the state-run or civic hospitals in Mumbai.
“So it is abundantly clear that further hospitalisation of the accused is not necessary and whenever he comes across any health issue, the jail authority can tackle the same by referring him to any of the above referred corporation hospitals (in Mumbai),” said the court.
Garware was arrested by ED on March 22 this year on the charges of money laundering, as the agency suspected that he was instrumental in buying a property for the bank in Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai in 2010 at an exorbitant price. In return, ED has claimed that Garware received kickbacks to the tune of ₹12.82 crore.
The case was first registered by CBI on November 11, 2021, against Ackruti Gold Builders and unknown persons over corruption allegations for purchasing the BKC property at a much higher price.
Pursuant to orders passed by a vacation judge, on June 7, the 55-year-old was admitted to Breach Candy hospital, specifically for rheumatological and gastroenterological examinations. ED had last month preferred an application to bring him back to Arthur Road jail, pointing out that pursuant to their request, the Dean of Grant Medical College had sent two experts to the private hospital where they examined the industrialist and submitted a report, clearly indicating that he did not require any further hospitalisation.
The special court accepted ED’s contentions and on August 2, ordered Garware to return to jail. Apart from the expert report, the court also noted that the signature of a Breach Candy hospital doctor on two of his reports, relied upon by the industrialist, differed and the difference was visible to naked eye – indicating that one of the two reports were perhaps doctored.
