Deshmukh's bail plea should get priority, hearing on Dec 6: HC

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday said it was of the prima facie opinion that considering the medical condition of former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, priority should be given to his bail plea in a case of corruption and misuse of official position being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Deshmukh, 74, had approached the high court after a special CBI court rejected his bail plea last month. He sought bail both on medical grounds as well as on merits.

When the plea was heard on Friday, Deshmukh's counsel Vikram Chaudhari told a single bench of Justice M S Karnik that the former minister was being treated but he suffers from several ailments that requires constant treatment and care.

"He needs to be released. He is a chronic patient," Chaudhari said.

Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, appearing for the CBI, opposed the same and said he is getting proper

treatment in jail whenever required.

"His present medical condition needs to be ascertained. Medical condition is not static...it keeps changing," Singh said.

Justice Karnik after hearing the matter briefly said the court would hear the bail plea on merits.

The court said it would hear the plea on December 6.