Supreme Court Rejects ED's Plea Against Businessman's Bail in Land-for-Jobs Scam

The Supreme Court declined to entertain the Enforcement Directorate's plea challenging bail granted to businessman Amit Katyal in connection with a money laundering case tied to the alleged land-for-jobs scam involving Indian Railways. The court criticized the ED's 'pick and choose' approach in arrests and stated Katyal's involvement appeared minimal.

In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Monday chose not to entertain the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) petition challenging the Delhi High Court's decision to grant bail to businessman Amit Katyal. Katyal, described as a close associate of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, is implicated in a money laundering case related to a purported land-for-jobs scam in Indian Railways.

Justices M M Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal expressed reluctance to overturn the High Court's order, criticizing the ED's 'pick and choose' strategy. The bench queried why the ED had not arrested other key figures in the case, suggesting hesitance to pursue larger targets while focusing on Katyal.

Despite the ED's claim that Katyal facilitated illegal transactions for Yadav's family, the High Court had previously found his role less significant and granted him bail on procedural grounds. Katyal's compliance with the investigation further supported the court's decision, highlighting perceived inconsistencies in the ED's approach.

(With inputs from agencies.)