Delhi High Court - Orders
Gurumoorthy Natarajan vs Directorate Of Enforcement on 23 January, 2026
Author: Anup Jairam Bhambhani
Bench: Anup Jairam Bhambhani
$~89
* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
+ BAIL APPLN. 312/2026
GURUMOORTHY NATARAJAN .....Petitioner
Through: Mr. Siddharth Agarwal, Sr. Advocate
with Mr. Ishan Dewan, Mr. V.
Siddharth, Ms. Shreyansh Jain and
Mr. Sedar Selukdar, Advocates.
versus
DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Vivek Gurnani, Panel Counsel,
Mr. Kanishk Maurya, Mr. Kartik
Sabharwal and Mr. Rishabh Gupta,
Advocates for ED.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ANUP JAIRAM BHAMBHANI
ORDER
% 23.01.2026 CRL.M.A. 2548/2026 Exemption granted, subject to just exceptions. Let requisite compliances be made within 01 week. The application stands disposed of.
BAIL APPLN. 312/2026By way of the present petition filed under section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 read with provision to section 45(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002, the petitioner seeks interim bail in ECIR/HIU-I/02/2026 dated 05.01.2026.
2. Mr. Siddharth Agarwal, learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioner submits, that the petitioner is seeking interim bail to obtain BAIL APPLN. 312/2026 Page 1 of 5 This is a digitally signed order.
The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 23/01/2026 at 20:48:59 effective medical treatment for his ailments, which are inter-alia reflected in MLC dated 18.01.2026, Medical Test Report dated 05.12.2025 and OPD Record dated 04.12.2025.
3. Mr. Agarwal submits, that vidé order dated 21.01.2026, while dismissing the petitioner‟s application seeking interim bail on the ground of his medical exigencies, the learned Additional Sessions Judge-04, Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi has inter-alia recorded the following:
"2. Ld. counsel for the applicant submits that until the disposal of the present bail application, the applicant may be granted interim bail on the ground that he is suffering from severe bronchitis, high blood pressure and hernia. It is thus, submitted that applicant may be granted interim bail till the disposal of the present bail application.
3. No reply has been filed by the ED. However, statement of Sahil, Asstt. Enforcement officer on behalf of IO has been recorded and they do not dispute the genuineness of the documents.
*****
5. In so far as, regular bail is concerned, the same is governed by section 45 of PMLA and the twin conditions need to be satisfied but at this stage, the applicant is seeking interim bail on the ground that he is suffering from hernia. In order to support his contention, he has relied upon OPD record of 04/12/2025 and 10/12/2025. The perusal of both the record suggests that on 04/12/2025 when he had shown himself, he was asked to take an opinion from Dr. Kaushal Kejriwal and was to review with Dr. Avnish Seth on 10/12/2025. On 10/12/2025, when he presented himself before Dr. Avnish Seth, he advised to take opinion of Dr. Sandeep Aggarwal for Umblical Hernia. No record has been placed which could suggests (sic) as to what advise Dr. Sandeep Aggarwal had given. It was argued that he had orally stated to plan for surgery in first week of January, but until then, the accused was arrested.BAIL APPLN. 312/2026 Page 2 of 5
This is a digitally signed order.
The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 23/01/2026 at 20:48:59
6. At this stage, there is no document on record to suggest that accused applicant was required any urgent medical treatment. The IO has shown the MLCs which were got conducted while the applicant was in police custody barring one MLC of 18/01/2026, there is no other MLC on record which could show that he requires any treatment for hernia or his condition is unstable. Accordingly, I do not find any ground to grant interim bail to applicant/accused at this stage."
(emphasis supplied)
4. Learned senior counsel for the petitioner submits that a perusal of the OPD Record dated 04.12.2025 and Test Report dated 05.12.2025 would show that the petitioner‟s ultrasound has shown the presence of umbilical hernia; and the attending doctor has therefore referred the petitioner for surgical opinion on an urgent basis. It is submitted that the petitioner requires treatment for hernia and his condition is unstable; and yet the learned ASJ has declined relief.
5. Issue notice.
6. Mr. Vivek Gurnani, learned Panel Counsel is present on behalf of the respondent on advance copy; accepts notice; and submits, that as per his instructions, the ED‟s stand remains the same as is recorded in para 3 of order dated 21.01.2026.
7. On considering the submissions made by learned counsel for the parties, and the documents on record, in particular the fact that genuineness of those documents is not disputed by the ED, at this stage the petitioner is granted interim bail for a period of 10 days from the date of his release, for undergoing medical examination and assessment on the following conditions:
BAIL APPLN. 312/2026 Page 3 of 5This is a digitally signed order.
The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 23/01/2026 at 20:48:59 7.1. The petitioner shall furnish a personal bond in the sum of Rs.
1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lac Only) with 02 sureties in the like amount from family members, to the satisfaction of the learned trial court;
7.2. The petitioner shall not leave the State of Delhi without permission of the court and shall ordinarily reside at the address as per prison records/as mentioned in the application; 7.3. The petitioner shall furnish to the Investigating Officer („I.O.‟) a cell-phone number on which the petitioner may be contacted at any time and shall ensure that the number is kept active and switched-on at all times;
7.4. If the petitioner has a passport, he shall surrender the same to the learned trial court and shall not travel out of the country without prior permission of the learned trial court; 7.5. The petitioner shall not contact, nor visit, nor offer any inducement, threat or promise to any of the prosecution witnesses or other persons acquainted with the facts of case. The petitioner shall not tamper with evidence nor otherwise indulge in any act or omission that is unlawful or that would prejudice the proceedings in the pending trial; 7.6. Upon expiry of the period of interim bail, the petitioner shall surrender before the Jail Superintendent;
7.7. Furthermore, the petitioner is directed to furnish to the I.O.
copies of the medical records of the treatment that he undergoes while on interim bail; and the I.O. shall verify the same and file BAIL APPLN. 312/2026 Page 4 of 5 This is a digitally signed order.
The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 23/01/2026 at 20:48:59 a status report before the next date; with copy to opposing counsel.
8. Re-notify for further consideration on 05th February 2026.
9. A copy of this order be given dasti under signatures of the Court Master.
ANUP JAIRAM BHAMBHANI, J JANUARY 23, 2026/ss BAIL APPLN. 312/2026 Page 5 of 5 This is a digitally signed order.
The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 23/01/2026 at 20:48:59