Morani's anticipatory bail plea rejected

The CBI special court here on Monday rejected Cineyug Films promoter and Bollywood film producer Karim Morani's anticipatory bail application noting that his medical condition was “normal and stable.”

The CBI had told the court that it had no objection to grant of bail on medical grounds and left it to the discretion of the court.

The CBI had earlier opposed bail to him going by the facts of the case. Morani was directed by special judge O. P. Saini to appear in the court on Tuesday, failing which “coercive process” would be issued.

Mr. Saini, in his order, pointed out that “medical ground” was just one of the several grounds Morani had taken recourse to initially when he applied for anticipatory bail but later “as an afterthought, his medical record was filed and this ground alone was pressed.”

Morani had submitted that he had undergone three angioplasties and an open heart operation and that his health was at risk if put in a stressful environment. Medical reports obtained by him from the Cardiology and Neurosurgery departments at J. J. Hospital, Mumbai, said he did not require any active cardiac or neurosurgical management and required only out-patient department consultations.

Observing that proper medical facilities were available in the Tihar Central Jail itself, and if required, further treatment was available at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital or the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Mr. Saini said: “I may add that co-accused Surendra Pipara is already being provided the best of medical facilities in the jail hospital itself and subsequently at the AIIMS. So proper medical facilities are available to all prisoners in case of necessity and this ground cannot be pressed now when as good facilities as are available outside are available to an undertrial in the jail itself.”

Meet Kanimozhi

Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister M. K. Azhagiri's wife and son visited Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi at the special court. Mr. Azhagiri's wife, who was seated at the back in the courtroom, broke down on meeting her sister-in-law.

Hearing deferred

The hearing on the former Telecom Secretary Siddhartha Behura's bail application was deferred to May 25 after the CBI sought more time.