PMLA | Delhi High Court Grants 10-Day Bail to Accused in Fake Anti-Cancer Drug Case On This Humanitarian Grounds

The Delhi High Court has granted 10-day bail to accused in a fake anti-cancer drug case and charged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on the humanitarian grounds of the medical condition of the accused’s Father being critical.

The bench of Justice Shalinder Kaur has observed that the condition of the Father of the Petitioner is stated to be critical and deteriorating very quickly. The factum of his Father being on a ventilator in the ICU has been verified by the Respondent as also the medical condition of the Father being critical.

The bench held that in the prevailing circumstances and on humanitarian grounds, the Petitioner is granted interim Bail for a period of 10 days from the date of his release, subject to Petitioner furnishing a personal bond of Rs. 1 Lakhs.

Even earlier the Court had granted interim Bail to the Petitioner on the account and had been extended by the Court on numerous occasions and the Petitioner had surrendered on 17.02.2025.

The Petitioner’s family consists of his Father, a younger Sister who is residing in Australia, his mother who has difficulty in walking due to her own ailments/previous injuries and is suffering from depression due to her husband‟s exacerbated medical condition as well as Petitioner’s incarceration. Therefore, he submits, in these prevailing grave and dire circumstances, the responsibility of the Petitioner has increased significantly and she prays that the Petitioner be granted interim Bail for 4 weeks to be in attendance of his Father.

On the other hand, the department submits that earlier the Petitioner was granted interim Bail citing himself to be the sole caregiver to his Father, however, while revoking the interim Bail granted to the Petitioner, dismissed the Regular Bail and directed the Petitioner to surrender within 7 days from the date of the Order.

The Petitioner, he submits, had also approached the Supreme Court in a Special Leave Petition (SLP) challenging this Court’s Order, which came to be dismissed by the Apex Court declining to interfere with the said Order and granted the Petitioner two days‟ time to surrender. However, the Petitioner did not comply with the said direction of the Supreme Court and only surrendered after 8 days. The Investigating Officer also visited the Home of the Petitioner with two Constables but the Petitioner remained untraceable and the mother had no clue as to his whereabouts.

The court granted the bail subject to various conditions.

Firstly, the Petitioner shall not leave the NCT of Delhi.

Secondly, the Petitioner is directed to give all his mobile numbers to the Investigating Officer and keep it operational at all times.

Thirdly, the Petitioner shall not contact, nor visit, nor offer any inducement, threat or promise to any of the prosecution witnesses or other person acquainted with the facts of the case. The Petitioner shall not tamper with evidence nor otherwise indulge in any act or omission that is unlawful or that would prejudice the proceedings in the pending trial.

Fourthly, the Petitioner shall report at the Police Station Crime Branch, Delhi everyday between 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The concerned officer shall release the Petitioner after recording his presence and after completion of all the necessary formalities.

Lastly, the Petitioner shall surrender before the Jail Superintendent concerned after expiry of the period of interim Bail of 10 days.

Case Details

Case Title: Lovee Narula Versus ED

Case No.: BAIL APPLN. 1159/2025

Date: 28/03/2025

Counsel For Petitioner: Siddharth Agarwal, Sr. Adv. with Ms. Garima Singh, Mr. Prince Kumar and Mr. D. D. Verma, Advs.

Counsel For Respondent: Arkaj Kumar, Standing Counsel, Mr. Anand Kirti, Mr. Aakarsh Mishra, Ms. Vaishnavi and Mr. Ishank Jha

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