Land-for-job case: Delhi court extends interim bail of bizman Amit Katyal

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday extended till March 22 the interim bail of Amit Katyal, an alleged close associate of former Union minister Lalu Prasad's family, who has also been named along with some companies in the charge sheet filed in the land-for-job scam case.

Promoter of AK Infosystems, Katyal who was arrested in November last year by the central probe agency, was granted a seven-day interim bail on medical grounds on March 5.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has challenged the order before the Delhi High Court, which has reserved its order, seeking cancellation of the four-week interim bail previously granted on February 5.

On Katyal seeking further extension of his interim bail, a reply has been filed by the ED on his application.

Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa appearing for Katyal submitted that the ED has followed an improper and illegal process in filing the purported “independent opinion” and statements of doctors from certain private hospitals under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) along with the reply.

On the other hand, Special counsel for ED Zoheb Hossain, who appeared virtually, submitted that there is no procedural impropriety and efforts had only been made to bring forth the medical condition of the accused by way of independent information and statements under Section 50 of the PMLA.

Special Judge Vikas Gogne of Rouse Avenue Court noted that a rather peculiar and novel process has been followed by the ED in obtaining opinions from doctors when no direction has been issued by the court.

"It is appropriate that a formal rejoinder is filed by the accused to the reply for better appreciation of the merits as well as the contentions raised today regarding the methodology followed by the ED," the judge noted.

The judge has now listed the matter for submissions on March 22, and extended Katyal's interim bail till the said date.

Judge Gogne had earlier allowed Katyal's application seeking bail for medical treatment in a hospital within Delhi-NCR, and had directed him to furnish the details of the hospital and treatment obtained on his surrender before the jail authorities upon the expiry of the interim bail.

The judge had also asked the accused to furnish a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh and two sureties of the like amount.

Meanwhile, Katyal has been accused of acquiring land from aspirants on behalf of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.

He was first detained and later arrested by the financial probe agency on November 11 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Katyal's premises in upscale south Delhi's New Friends Colony were declared as an office of AK Infosystems but were allegedly being used by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as residential premises.

The ED on July 31, 2023, attached six immovable assets having a value of Rs 6.02 crore belonging to RJD leaders Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti (daughter of Lalu Yadav), Vineet Yadav (husband of Lalu's daughter Hema Yadav), Shiv Kumar Yadav (father-in-law of Hema Yadav), AB Exports Pvt Ltd and AK Infosystems Pvt Ltd., both companies owned and controlled by family members of Lalu Yadav, under the provisions of PMLA, 2002 in the Railway job for land scam.

The Delhi High Court had earlier declined to provide relief to Katyal seeking a copy of the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) in a money laundering case, saying that it cannot impede the investigation process of the ED at the stage of summons issuance under the PMLA.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma had dismissed Katyal's plea.

Katyal had sought the quashing of the ECIR and a summons issued by the ED. He wanted to prevent the probe agency from taking any coercive action against him, including further investigation into the money laundering case.