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    Unitech promoter Sanjay Chandra released on interim bail for 4 weeks

    Synopsis

    Appearing on behalf of Chandra, Advocates Vijay Aggarwal and Mudit Jain argued that Chandra suffers from bronchia asthma (COPD), diabetes, mellitus, hypertension, high blood pressure, lower back pain and a host of other medical ailments.

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    NEW DELHI: A local Court has granted Unitech’s promoter Sanjay Chandra interim bail for four weeks on medical grounds.

    Appearing on behalf of Chandra, Advocates Vijay Aggarwal and Mudit Jain argued that Chandra suffers from bronchia asthma (COPD), diabetes, mellitus, hypertension, high blood pressure, lower back pain and a host of other medical ailments.

    Aggarwal contended that suffering from various diseases and at lower immunity Chandra is at an increased risk of contraction from Covid-19. And that Chandra is at a heightened risk of complications as he is suffering from co-morbidities in case he contracts the disease.

    Chandra has been in custody for over 43 months. The prosecution opposed Chandra’s bail alleging that Chandra might misuse the liberty by tampering with the evidence.

    The Court perused medical status report of Chandra which indicated that Chandra’s blood pressure and sugar levels are above acceptable biological reference limit. As per the medical status report, further investigation has been recommended to be done at a higher centre for gastroenterology opinion.

    Chandra’s lawyer relied upon an order passed by the Supreme Court in November vide which the Apex Court held that the the basic rule of our criminal justice system is bail, not jail and “the High Courts and Courts in the district judiciary of India must enforce this principle in practice, and not forego that duty, leaving this Court to intervene at all times.”

    It was also averred that a humane attitude is required to be adopted by a Judge, while dealing with an application for remanding a suspect or an accused person to police custody or judicial custody.

    The Court released Chandra on interim bail for four weeks imposing standard conditions including submission of a bail bond of one lakh rupees. Chandra has been asked to surrender his passport and surrender immediately on the expiry of four weeks.

    Chandra and his brother Ajay Chandra were arrested by the Economic Offices Wing of the Delhi police in March 2017. The duo were apprehended for having failed to complete a housing project on time in Gurugram’s Sector 70. Unitech, the real estate group, is also being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charges of money laundering and alleged siphoning of funds by Unitech promoters.

    Probe agencies have claimed that their investigation that money which has been realised from the flat buyers has been siphoned off.

    A forensic audit report submitted before the Supreme Court by Grant and Thornton in December 2019 claimed that Rs 14,270 crore was collected by Unitech from 29,800 homebuyers. Out of that amount, Rs 13,364 crores was traced to the bank statements. Almost 90 per cent of the money was received between 2006 to 2014, the report claimed.


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