Fertiliser scam: HC asks Tihar for report on medical condition of RJD MP

The Delhi High Court Monday asked the Tihar jail authorities to file a report on the current medical condition of RJD Rajya Sabha MP Amarendra Dhari Singh, arrested in a money laundering case related to an alleged fertiliser scam.

The high court's order came on a plea by Singh urging to be kept in house arrest till his bail plea is decided by the trial court as he is suffering from various ailments and his condition is deteriorating in Tihar Jail.

Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani said before issuing notice on the plea, it is deemed appropriate to know the status of current health condition of Singh.

Accordingly, let a medical status report be called from the jail superintendent on the current health condition of petitioner (Singh), the court said and listed the plea for further hearing on Wednesday.

Senior advocate Siddharth Aggarwal, representing Singh, said the 62-year-old leader is suffering from lymphatic cancer for last 19 years and several other ailments and his condition is deteriorating in Tihar Jail.

He said he was not aware of the current medical condition and urged the court to call for a report from jail authorities.

Advocate Zoheb Hussain, representing the ED, said the order on Singh's bail plea filed before the special judge was reserved and it is listed for Tuesday.

He also told the court that another application seeking to be lodged in house arrest during the period of judicial custody has also been filed by Singh and is pending before the special judge.

The high court asked the counsel for the parties to apprise it on Wednesday about the status of the bail plea and said that a copy of its today's order be sent to the jail superintendent forthwith.

Singh, a member of Parliament and a businessman, was arrested by the ED on June 2 under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is under judicial custody.

The case pertains to an alleged fertiliser scam linked to the IFFCO and India Potash Limited (IPL), in which the CBI had registered a corruption case in May.

Singh is stated to be the senior vice president of a firm involved in the case, identified as Jyoti Trading Corporation.

The plea said the complaint dates back to April 2013 and the CBI registered and FIR for the alleged offences of cheating, criminal conspiracy under the IPC and under the Prevention of Corruption Act in May 2021.

Pursuant to the registration of the FIR, a search/raid was conducted at Singh's residence and office premises on May 19 this year in which he and his employees duly cooperated.

The next day, that is May 20, the ED also registered a case against him and between May 20 and June 2, when he was arrested, no summons were issued to him to join the investigation, his plea said.