Piles disease has ended up providing respite to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Vijay Nair, an accused in Delhi liquor scam, as a Delhi court has issued a temporary two-week bail on medical grounds to the former AAP communications in-charge.
Vijay Nair, an accused in Delhi’s liquor scam, has been in jail for 14 months. While granting him bail, Special Judge MK Nagpal said, “Petitioner Vijay Nair is granted interim bail for two weeks in this case. This period of bail will be for only two weeks from the day of exit.”
Vijay Nair had filed a petition in the court citing piles disease and sought interim bail for 8 weeks. He had pleaded that he was a grade-III piles patient and doctors had advised him surgery.
Delhi court grants interim bail to ex-AAP communications in-charge Vijay Nair in Excise Policy ‘scam’ money laundering case on medical ground
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 19, 2024
The court approved a temporary bail of 14 days for him, not extending it to two months. However, he was instructed to furnish a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh along with the corresponding surety. The court also said that Vijay Nair will not tamper with any evidence or influence any witness while being released on bail. The court has directed Nair not to meet or talk to any co-accused, suspect, or witness related to the liquor scam case.
During this period, the court stipulated that Nair must refrain from engaging in any form of criminal activity. Additionally, the court cautioned Nair against violating any conditions set for interim bail. Nair’s lawyer, Rebecca John, vehemently advocated for his release from incarceration.
Rebecca argued before the court that her client’s health has been seriously affected due to the long detention before the trial and he has suffered from many health problems. Further, Rebecca advocated that her client needs surgery which cannot be done in custody. Since Nair is a permanent resident of Mumbai, he wants to undergo the surgery there.
However, the Enforcement Directorate strongly opposed this bail plea of AAP leader Vijay Nair. The ED said that the surgery of the accused was not dangerous and these surgeries can be performed in a referral hospital even while in judicial custody. The Enforcement Directorate contended that Nair was receiving adequate medical care while in jail. Nevertheless, Nair asserted that he required continuous assistance and the presence of his family members to facilitate a swift recovery.
Nair was taken into custody in September 2022 in the liquor scam case. This is the first time Nair has been granted bail following the arrest. In July 2023, the same court in Delhi rejected his bail plea. Vijay Nair was arrested by the CBI in September 2022, making him one of the first arrests related to excise policy scam. However, he got bail in the CBI case, but before he could be released from custody, he was arrested by the ED on 2nd November 2022.
