Doctors say Bhujbal's condition stable, bail hearing deferred

Bhujbal, arrested on money laundering charge by Enforcement Directorate, has sought bail on medical grounds.

A panel of doctors from government-run JJ Hospital on Friday submitted a report to the Bombay High Court, describing the condition of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal as "stable". Bhujbal, arrested on money laundering charge by Enforcement Directorate, has sought bail on medical grounds.

Justice Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi adjourned till June 8 the hearing on bail petition after Bhujbal's lawyer Amit Desai sought time to seek the opinion of a private doctor on the report submitted by the nine-member doctors' panel.

Last week, the HC had asked for opinion of JJ Hospital doctors on Bhujbal's health. The panel in its report has said though Bhujbal suffers from several ailments, his condition is stable after receiving medication. But Desai said the report contains medical jargon and he needed to consult a private doctor.

Prosecutor Purnima Kantharia opposed the plea for bail saying Bhujbal had got medication and treatment as per the doctors' advise and his condition was now stable. Bhujbal, 69, has said in the petition that he suffers from diabetes, blood pressure, chronic asthma and blockages in heart among other things, so he be released on bail.

His lawyer argued that Bhujbal was in custody for over two months now and was suffering from multiple health problems for which he needed to undergo treatment.

On May 13, the Special Court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act cases had rejected Bhujbal's bail petition. ED arrested Bhujbal, who handled the Public Works portfolio in Congress-NCP government, on March 14 this year in a case related to alleged irregularities in the contract for construction of the state guest house Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi. At present, he is lodged in the Arthur Road prison here.