Land-for-jobs 'scam': Delhi HC grants 6-week interim bail to Lalu's aide Amit Katyal

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted six-week interim bail on medical grounds to RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s close aide Amit Katyal in a money laundering case linked to the alleged land-for-jobs scam in the Indian Railways.

Katyal, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on November 11, 2023 under various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), argued that after undergoing bariatric surgery, he required further treatment and care which was not available in Tihar jail.

While allowing his interim bail, a vacation bench of Justice Dharmesh Sharma observed that the dietary requirements of Katyal are such that they cannot be provided in the jail premises, and post bariatric surgery, he needs proper diet in order to attain adequate physical, mental and psychological well-being.

"The level of care, attention, minute-to-minute monitoring and emergency response which the applicant requires, cannot be provided at the jail presently. There is no gainsaying that providing home cooked food on an every day basis for a long duration is fraught with several technical hurdles at the jail premises," said the court.

"This court is inclined to allow the application for interim bail on medical grounds for a period of six weeks from the date of his release from jail," the court ordered as it asked Katyal to furnish a personal bond along with a surety of Rs 2.5 lakh each.

The court further observed that a charge sheet has been filed against the accused who was released on interim bail for about 84 days earlier as well but no allegation of influencing the probe was attributed to him.

The ED argued that the petitioner was earlier granted interim bail on medical grounds for almost 84 days and he cannot seek enlargement on bail on medical grounds all the time.

If there was any requirement of a special diet, it can be brought to the jail premises by way of home-cooked food for him, the agency said.

The probe agency has alleged that Katyal had acquired land from several railway job aspirants on behalf of the RJD chief and former railway minister Lalu Prasad.

The ED has claimed that Katyal was the director of a company named AK Infosystems Private Limited, which acquired land from candidates “on behalf” of Lalu Prasad. Some other members of the RJD supremo's family are also accused in the case.