Bombay HC orders doctors’ panel to check on Sachin Joshi’s health – India Today

The Bombay High Court has refused to grant any immediate relief to actor-businessman Sachin Joshi in the Omkar Realtors money-laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The high court has, however, constituted a panel of doctors from JJ Hospital who will look into Sachin Joshi’s health condition.

The Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court had earlier granted Sachin Joshi bail in the Rs 410 crore-money laundering case involving the Omkar Group. The order was kept in abeyance by the PMLA court after the ED requested the same.

While granting bail to Sachin Joshi, the lower court had said, “In view of the grounds put forth by the ED, in the interest of justice, one-week time granted to assail the order of bail will make it proper. Hence, till then, the order of bail is kept in abeyance till April 9.”

“The ED to bring necessary order, else the order of bail will come in force to release the accused no 5 [Joshi] on compliance of imposed conditions,” the lower court had said.

Following this, the ED had approached the high court immediately and Joshi had cited health grounds for seeking bail.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the single-judge bench of Justice Prakash D Naik court ordered that a report by the panel of doctors — which would include a general physician, an endocrinologist and a neurologist — should be submitted before the next hearing on April 19.

According to the ED, investigations have revealed the involvement of Sachin Joshi and his companies in the laundering of over Rs 400 crore. The agency later filed a private complaint against Joshi and his companies.

During the investigation, “the active role” of Joshi was revealed in this ECIR. Therefore, he was arrested and questioned in connection with the case.

During the questioning, “factual aspects came on record, due to which further investigation is going on”, said the ED.

After this, the financial probe agency submitted that if Sachin Joshi is released on bail, he may tamper with the evidence and hamper the investigation.

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