WB coal scam: Delhi HC directs to constitute medical board, examine accused Gurupada Maji

Dec 21, 2022

New Delhi [India], December 22 : Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed Safdarjung hospital to constitute a medical board and examine Gurupada Maji, an accused in West Bengal Coal mining money laundering case.
Maji has sought four-week bail on medical grounds.
Justice Amit Sharma directed the Director of Safdarjung hospital to constitute a medical board within one week. The court also directed to examine Gurupada Maji.
The bench directed the hospital to file the medical report. The matter has been listed to be heard on January 13 along with regular bail matter.
The counsel for Enforcement Directorate opposed the bail application.
Senior advocate N. Hariharan and P K Dubey urged the bench to constitute a medical board to examine the petitioner. Thereafter the court passed the order.
Maji has moved a plea through Advocate S S 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 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 untainted fund.