Today, On 7th April, The Supreme Court has refused to hear the Enforcement Directorate’s plea against the bail granted to a close aide of Lalu Prasad Yadav. This case is linked to the alleged Railways land-for-jobs scam. The ED wanted to cancel the bail but the court did not agree. Now, the aide will continue to stay out on bail.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) appeal against the bail granted to Amit Katyal, a close aide of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, in a money laundering case linked to the alleged land-for-jobs scam in the Indian Railways.
Justices M M Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal stated that they were not inclined to interfere with the Delhi High Court’s ruling.
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The bench questioned,
“No big fish. Main persons have not been arrested. Why go on after only small flies? Are you afraid of going after them? Why have you not arrested 11 other accused?”
Additional Solicitor General S V Raju contended that the high court’s order was legally unsound and should be set-aside. On September 17 of last year, the high court had granted bail to Katyal, criticizing the ED’s “pick and choose” approach.
The court remarked that despite no other accused being arrested, Katyal was detained at Indira Gandhi International Airport just before his flight to Ranchi.
The bail order indicated that the agency failed to justify the necessity of his arrest, reflecting a “pick and choose policy,” and noted that Katyal’s role was “much less” than that of other accused individuals.
Katyal was arrested by the ED on November 10, 2023, under various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and was subsequently granted bail by the high court upon furnishing a personal bond of Rs 10 lakh and two sureties of the same amount.
He sought bail on the grounds of parity, arguing that the ED’s selective approach indicated discrimination. The ED maintained that Katyal actively assisted Yadav and his family in managing the proceeds from the alleged corrupt activities of Yadav, who served as railway minister.
The high court noted that no other accused had been arrested, despite being considered the main perpetrators or beneficiaries of the offence under the PMLA, and that they had already been charge sheeted.
The court concluded that Katyal was not a flight risk, as he cooperated with the investigation and did not evade summons. The ED claimed that Katyal was the director of A K Infosystems Private Limited, which acquired land from candidates on behalf of Yadav. Other family members of Yadav are also implicated in the case.
On May 22, a trial court had denied Katyal’s bail application, stating that there were insufficient grounds for relief, prompting him to appeal to the high court.
This case pertains to Group D appointments made in the West Central Zone of the Indian Railways in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, during Yadav’s tenure as rail minister from 2004 to 2009, in exchange for land parcels gifted or transferred by recruits to Yadav’s family or associates.
A case was registered on May 18, 2022, against Yadav and others, including his wife, two daughters, unidentified public officials, and private individuals.