THE Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday opposed the interim medical bail sought by Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal in a money laundering case and said his stay at a private hospital could be extended for a month. Goyal has sought interim bail on medical and humanitarian grounds, citing that both he and his wife, Anita Goyal, suffered from cancer. On Friday, a single bench of Justice N J Jamadar said it would pass orders on May 6. A special court had in February refused bail to Goyal but permitted him to be admitted to a private hospital of his choice and seek medical treatment.

 

Goyal had last week moved the High Court seeking interim bail on merits and release on medical grounds. While Goyal’s counsel, Harish Salve, urged the court to consider the case on humanitarian grounds, the ED’s counsel, Hiten Venegaonkar, vehemently opposed the bail and said the probe agency did not have a problem if his hospitalisation was extended. Before closing the matter for orders, Justice Jamadar remarked that taking treatment without restraint would make a difference.