NEW DELHI: Relaxing stringent bail conditions, the Supreme Court on Monday said that unless summoned, former minister Senthil Balaji is not needed to appear before an ED officer twice per week in Chennai in the money laundering case related to the alleged cash-for-job scam.
The top court also relaxed the other condition requiring him to appear in the trial court on every date of hearing, saying the presiding officer may consider his plea for exemption on merits if such an application is moved.
"Why is this man required to appear before the Deputy Director of the Enforcement Directorate at Chennai on every Monday and Friday? …at least save your own officer from the harassment as he will have to wait twice per week for this gentleman to come," a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said.
However, advocate Zoheb Hussain, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, said the bench was conscious of his conduct and the possibility of influencing witnesses while imposing conditions in its bail order.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal and lawyer Ram Sankar, appearing for the former minister, said that as and when the probe agency asks him to appear, he will do so, and this condition now will serve no purpose.
Advocate Pranav Sachdeva, appearing for one of the complainants, spoke in favour of letting these conditions remain in force as the former minister is an influential person.
The bench said Balaji will go before the deputy director as and when required. The ED will have to serve an advance notice in case it wants his presence, it added.
The top court, on November 14, agreed to examine the plea of Balaji seeking relaxation of his bail conditions in the money laundering case.
Balaji, in his plea, was seeking modification of two conditions in the bail order -- one, that he shall mark his attendance every Monday and Friday between 11 am and noon in the office of the deputy director of ED at Chennai and he shall appear before the investigating officers of the police in three scheduled offences related to the case on first Saturday of every month.