Supreme Court Declines ED Plea Against Amit Katyal's Bail in Land-for-Jobs Scam

The Supreme Court has refused to consider the Enforcement Directorate's plea against the bail granted to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's aide, Amit Katyal, in a money laundering case. Despite ED's claims of Katyal's involvement, the court criticized the selective approach of not arresting other accused.

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to consider the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) plea challenging the bail granted to Amit Katyal, a businessman close to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, in connection with a money laundering case. The case is linked to the alleged land-for-jobs scam.

Justices M M Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal stated the court's reluctance to interfere with the Delhi High Court's decision, which criticized the ED's selective approach in arresting only certain individuals while leaving others untouched. The bench questioned the ED's strategy, implying bias and urging them to target all involved.

The high court had granted bail to Katyal last September, highlighting that despite participating in investigations, he was arrested suddenly, suggesting a discriminatory approach by the ED. Katyal's bail involved a personal bond of Rs 10 lakh, prompted by arguments on overly selective prosecution tactics, as no other key figures in the case were detained.

(With inputs from agencies.)