High Court To Decide On Bail Plea Of Anil Deshmukh In A Week, Strict Instructions From SC
Mumbai, 27th September 2022: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Bombay High Court to decide at the earliest the bail plea of former Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh in the money laundering case. Anil Deshmukh’s bail plea is pending for the last eight months. Expressing displeasure over this, the top court has directed the High Court to decide by the end of this week. A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Hima Kohli said that Deshmukh’s bail application is pending in the High Court since 21st March.
The bench said, “It is the expectation of any person who has applied for bail that his application will be disposed of at the earliest. The pendency of the bail application is not consistent with the right to life under Article 21.” The bench said, “We issue directions and allow the petitioner to make the application tomorrow itself before the learned Judge, to whom the matter has been assigned (for hearing). This application should be heard this week, and a decision should be taken soon.”
The top court clarified that it has not given any opinion on the merits of the matter. The High Court Judge hearing the bail application is Justice NJ Jamadar Deshmukh. Deshmukh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in November 2021 and is currently in judicial custody.
