Anita Goyal, wife of Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, passes away

Anita Goyal, wife of Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, passed away at 3 a.m., as confirmed by their lawyer Abad Ponda on May 16.

Anita Goyal succumbed to cancer at Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital. Her body was taken to their Mumbai home for funeral rites expected to be held on May 16.

She is survived by her husband, Naresh Goyal, and their two children, Namrata and Nivaan Goyal. Her passing comes shortly after the Bombay High Court granted the couple a two-month interim bail in connection with a money laundering case, citing medical reasons.

On May 6, the Bombay High Court allowed Mr. Goyal interim bail for two months on health and compassionate grounds. He was released after posting a bond of ₹1 lakh and providing sureties as required by the court. The court also instructed him to remain within the jurisdiction of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Mumbai and to surrender his passport.

Mr. Goyal, who is also receiving cancer treatment at Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, was detained on September 1, 2023, by the Enforcement Directorate in relation to an alleged ₹538.62 crore money laundering case involving Jet Airways and Canara Bank. After being denied permanent bail by a special PMLA court on April 10, 2024, he sought relief from the Bombay High Court on medical grounds.

Senior Advocates Harish Salve and Abad Ponda, representing Mr. Goyal, argued that his wife was in the terminal stages of cancer and had only a few months to live. They emphasized the importance of Mr. Goyal being with his wife during her final days, which would provide much-needed emotional support. “He is battling duodenal cancer, which requires complex treatment. His wife, Anita, is in the final stages of terminal cancer. He should be allowed to be with her on humanitarian grounds,” the plea stated.

The appeal also highlighted Mr. Goyal’s own health struggles. “Consider the mental and emotional strain of someone diagnosed with cancer. His wife, given only a few months to live, needs his emotional support. He faces difficulty deciding about his own surgery at his age. Allow him to be with his wife for whatever time she has left,” Mr. Salve urged, appealing for interim bail under Article 21 of the Constitution on compassionate grounds.

The Enforcement Directorate opposed the bail, noting that Mr. Goyal was already receiving treatment at a private hospital of his choice. After hearing both sides, the Bombay High Court granted Mr. Goyal a two-month interim bail.