SC seeks report on medical condition of ex-CMD of Amrapali Group

Anil Kumar Sharma is lodged in jail and is seeking bail citing his deteriorating health

The Supreme Court on Thursday sought a status report on the medical condition of Anil Kumar Sharma, ex-CMD of Amrapali Group of Companies, who is lodged in jail and is seeking bail citing his deteriorating health.

A bench of Justices U U Lalit and Bela M Trivedi told Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati to file a status report by August 6 and posted the matter for hearing on August 8.

Advocate Manoj Singh, representing Sharma, said that the applicant is suffering from infection and his health "condition is deteriorating".

He urged the top court to grant bail to Sharma for six to eight weeks keeping in view his medical condition.

"Will you in two-day times get the appropriate details, status report, and whatever the instructions are," the bench asked Bhati.

"Considering the averments made in the petition, Bhati has fairly accepted that a status report shall be filed on or before Saturday (August 6) indicating the present medical condition and the line of treatment suggested to be adopted by the medical professionals," the bench said while issuing notice to the probe agencies on the plea.

On June 9, the apex court allowed Sharma's surgery to be conducted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for the repair of a "bilateral inguinal hernia" within a week.

The top court, however, had refused to grant him bail for four weeks as sought by his counsel saying that allegations against Sharma were grave.

Sharma is lodged in Mandoli prison here.

On March 21, the top court refused to order the transfer and clubbing of over 80 criminal cases lodged by the home buyers against directors and other officials of Amrapali group firms, saying it would not "queer the pitch" and make life difficult for a trial judge.

The top court had not agreed to the fervent submission of the counsel for one of the jailed officials of the real estate group, that like coal scam cases, the trials in 85 criminal matters, which are of similar nature, can be transferred to one court from seven different courts in the national capital.

The apex court has been monitoring the cases related to the embattled real estate company after many homebuyers approached it alleging malpractices and non-delivery of homes or flats.

The apex court, in its July 23, 2019 verdict, had cracked the whip on errant builders for breaching the trust reposed by the home buyers and ordered the cancellation of registration of Amrapali Group under real estate law RERA and ousted it from prime properties in the national capital region (NCR) by nixing the land leases.

The top court had directed a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the alleged money laundering by realtors, providing relief to over 42,000 home buyers of Amrapali Group with the verdict.

Besides ED, the Economic Offence Wing (EoW) of the Delhi Police and the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has also been investigating various cases lodged against the former officials of the real estate group.

The top court, which is trying to bring in funds for the stalled projects, had then directed the state-run NBCC to complete the stalled projects of Amrapali Group.