The Kerala High Court on Wednesday asked the superintendent of the Ernakulam district jail at Kakkanad to produce the medical reports of M. Sivasankar, former Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, who has been remanded in a money-laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Life Mission corruption case.
Justice Kauser Edappagath passed the order when a petition filed by Mr. Sivasankar seeking an interim bail for three months on the grounds of medical emergency to undergo treatment at a private hospital of his choice came up for hearing. The petition has challenged the order of the special court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) cases rejecting his plea for bail in the case.
Mr. Sivasankar submitted that he was suffering from chronic spine-related, respiratory and knee problems which require urgent medical attention. Despite overwhelming medical reports and opinions evidencing his poor medical condition, the special court had dismissed the bail plea on the grounds that the petitioner had failed to demonstrate any element of emergency in releasing him on bail.
The court orally observed that the Supreme Court had directed the petitioner to approach the special court for interim bail on the grounds of medical emergency. ”We are only looking at the question whether there had been any medical emergency or not, we do not have to look at any other conditions. Let the records be produced,” the court said when the counsel for the ED opposed the plea of Mr. Sivasankar.
The court posted the petition for further hearing on June 27.
