New Delhi, May 23 (Agency) The Delhi High Court on Monday sought reply from the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on the interim bail application of Avantha Group promoter Gautam Thapar, who was arrested under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The Single-Judge Bench of Justice Jasmeet Singh sought response of the Enforcement Directorate and listed the matter for hearing on May 27. ED had registered a case against Thapar, Avantha Realty ltd, Oyster Buildwell Pvt Ltd and others by alleging criminal breach of trust, cheating, criminal conspiracy and forgery for diversion/misappropriation of public money during the period 2017 to 2019. The businessman, an accused in a money laundering case linked to an alleged bank loan fraud of Rs 515 crore, is presently in Judicial Custody.
The investigating agency had filed a charge sheet in the matter. In October last year, the court had taken cognisance of the charge sheet filed against Thapar, Yes Bank’s Rana Kapoor and several employees under the provisions of PMLA. After dismissal of earlier regular bail application, Thapar moved the bail plea on medical ground. The Central Jail Medical Officer submitted that Thapar continues to have persistent left-sided chest pain, palpitations, vertigo, blackouts, severe lumbar pain and his previous records show severe co-morbidities. SPP for ED, Naveen Kumar Matta, opposed the bail application by submitting that the jail authorities were well equipped to provide necessary treatment to the accused.