New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its order on Punjab Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora’s plea seeking permission to undergo medical treatment at Fortis Hospital or Medanta Hospital in Gurugram instead of AIIMS, New Delhi, while he remains in judicial custody in an Enforcement Directorate (ED) money laundering case.
A Bench of Justices S.C. Sharma and N.K. Singh reserved its verdict after hearing arguments from both Arora’s counsel and the ED on his medical condition and request for treatment at a private hospital.
Arora Cites Serious Health Concerns
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Arora, argued that although the AIIMS Medical Board described the minister as clinically stable, it had recommended coronary angiography for further evaluation.
Rohatgi referred to Arora’s medical history, including diabetes, hypertension, kidney transplant, heart failure, pulmonary embolism and reduced heart function, contending that he required specialised treatment.
He also argued that Article 21 of the Constitution entitled Arora to receive treatment at a hospital of his choice while remaining in custody, adding that he was not seeking release from jail and could remain under police security during treatment.
ED Opposes Request for Private Hospital
Opposing the plea, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, representing the ED, submitted that the AIIMS Medical Board had found Arora clinically stable and assured the court that all necessary medical care, including angiography if required, would be provided at AIIMS.
The ED argued that prisoners are routinely treated in government hospitals and Arora should not receive special treatment solely because he preferred a private medical facility.
Money Laundering Case Under PMLA
Arora was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on May 9 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with an alleged ₹100 crore GST fraud linked to the sale of mobile phones.
The ED has alleged that the case involves money laundering connected with Hampton Sky Realty, while Arora and the company have denied the allegations, claiming they complied with all legal requirements and were themselves victims of the alleged fraud.
Earlier, Arora’s regular bail plea was rejected by a Special PMLA Court. His bail petition is also pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where the matter is scheduled for hearing on August 5.