Bombay HC grants bail to head of education society booked by ED in Rs 65.7-crore medical admission scam

Mahadev (69), president of the education society, was arrested by ED in May, 2022.

The court observed that as per the material on record, the applicant is admitted at Jail Hospital in Mumbai Central Prison (Arthur Road jail) since February 2024 and he had been repeatedly referred to substantive medical treatment for various ailments to state-run J J Hospital and he is presently on several medications.

The central agency opposed the plea and submitted that Mahadev is the president of the education society which collected Rs 65.7 crore in cash from students under the guise of granting them admission in medical courses and funds were transferred and part of them were withdrawn as cash and salary.

Moreover, parts of the funds were replenished to various other accounts under the guise of purchase of medical equipment and services.

Therefore, there is substantial documentary material unearthed by the investigating agency to prima facie show complicity of the applicant and other co-accused in the crime.

Senior advocate Sudeep Pasbola for the applicant submitted that the other accused in the case are released on bail and Mahadev is the only accused who is still incarcerated and he should be released on bail on medical grounds.

Justice Jadhav said the court would not go into merits of the case at the present stage and the applicant, who has undergone imprisonment for two years and 10 months, deserved to be released on bail in view of his medical condition. The court also observed that the trial in predicate offence is unlikely to be completed in foreseeable future.