Naresh Goyal appeals to Bombay HC for extension of interim medical bail

Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal seeks extension of medical bail due to critical health condition after wife's death.

Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal (75) filed an application with the Bombay High Court on Tuesday, seeking an extension of the two-month interim medical bail that was granted to him earlier. The plea states that his medical condition remains critical. Moreover, he stated, he had recently lost his wife to cancer, on May 16.

Earlier, on May 6, the Bombay HC had granted interim bail to Mr. Goyal for two months on medical grounds.  

The application came up for hearing on June 25 before the single judge Bench of Justice Manish Pitale. Hearing his plea, the judge referred to a circular issued by the High Court in February this year, which said applications that were earlier considered and decided by a particular judge would be placed before the same Bench. Considering the circular, the court today directed the High Court’s Registry Department to place Mr. Goyal’s application before the single judge Bench of Justice N. J. Jamadar, the judge who had granted Mr. Goyal interim bail in May for two months.  

Appearing for Mr. Goyal, counsels Aabad Ponda and Ameet Naik said they would mention the petition before Justice Jamadar on Wednesday.  

In September 2023, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Mr. Goyal on charges of money laundering. The ED alleged in the chargesheet that Mr. Goyal had diverted a loan of ₹538.62 crore given to Jet Airways by Canara Bank.

Subsequently, his wife, the late Anita Goyal was arrested by the ED in November 2023 in the same case. Considering her age and declining health condition at the time, a special court granted her bail on the same day. She passed away on May 16 at the age of 70 after a battle with cancer.