The Supreme Court witnessed a significant development on Wednesday as senior advocate Aryama Sundaram, representing MLA and former Minister V Senthil Balaji, pleaded for interim bail on the grounds of prolonged custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the cash-for-jobs money laundering case. Balaji’s appeal challenging the rejection of his bail by the Madras High Court was under consideration by the apex court, with the hearing set to continue on Thursday.
During the proceedings, senior advocates Sundaram and Mukul Rohatgi, also representing Balaji, urged for an expedited hearing, citing Balaji’s recent bypass surgery and his extended detention. Sundaram emphasized the urgent need for bail in light of Balaji’s medical condition, urging the bench to consider the gravity of the situation. However, the bench refrained from passing any immediate orders and scheduled further hearings for Thursday.
The two-judge bench, comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, deliberated on the matter and observed that while Balaji had spent over 335 days in custody, immediate relief could not be granted solely based on the duration of incarceration. The bench highlighted instances where accused individuals had been detained for extended periods under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) without immediate recourse to relief.
The Supreme Court’s stance underscores the complexities surrounding bail applications in cases involving financial crimes and underscores the need for a nuanced approach to judicial proceedings.