Bombay High Court Grants Medical Bail to Jet Airways Founder Naresh Goyal for Cancer Treatment

The Bombay High Court has granted permanent medical bail to Naresh Goyal, founder of Jet Airways, to undergo cancer treatment. Goyal, 75, was arrested in September 2023 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case involving alleged misappropriation of funds amounting to Rs 538.62 crore, sanctioned by Canara Bank for Jet Airways.

Initially, Goyal received interim medical bail on May 6, following a single bench order from Justice NJ Jamadar, allowing him to begin cancer treatment for two months. This interim relief was subsequently extended and has now been made permanent. Goyal’s legal representatives, Aabad Ponda and Ameet Naik, argued for an extension based on his health, as well as the recent loss of his wife, Anita Goyal, who passed away on May 16 after battling terminal cancer.

The ED’s chargesheet, filed in November 2023, alleges that Goyal misused public funds designated as business loans and that he used family members, including his late wife Anita and son Nivaan Goyal, to siphon off money.

Naresh Goyal was last seen publicly on May 20, when he exercised his voting rights in the Lok Sabha elections. His late wife, Anita Goyal, was also detained in connection with the same case but was granted bail earlier this year due to her age and medical condition.

This decision allows Goyal to continue his cancer treatment, with his legal team emphasizing his right to necessary medical care.