Viva Group managing director Mehul Thakur granted bail in money laundering case

A special PMLA court here on Monday granted bail to Mehul Thakur, director of Viva Group, in a money laundering case, observing that the jail atmosphere is "absolutely not conducive" to overcome his sickness. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Thakur in January 2021 for allegedly having diverted more than Rs 196 crore from Housing Development Infrastructure Limited (HDIL) to Viva Group through a number of defunct firms.

Thakur was also accused of transferring two properties of a company controlled by HDIL promoters to the group without any monetary consideration. The properties were worth Rs 34 crore.

In March last year, the Bombay High Court had granted him temporary bail for six months on medical grounds. The interim protection was extended till January this year.


Thakur then withdrew his plea before the high court and sought bail on merits of the case and medical grounds from the special court.

Special judge M G Deshpande, while allowing his plea, held medical records of the applicant (Thakur) clearly indicate that his mental sickness has been ever increasing even after his release on temporary bail by the high court.

"It is a fact that all jails in Mumbai are flooded by undertrial prisoners. Certainly the jail atmosphere is absolutely not conducive to overcome the sickness of the applicant," the judge said.

The court further noted that even the arrangement of psychological counselling inside the jail premises for the applicant had turned futile.

In such a situation, Thakur has to be with his family under their continuance vigilance 24/7, which is not possible inside the jail. Only psychiatrists know how carefully and cautiously a patient like the applicant has to be dealt with, he said.

The special judge observed that Thakur's illness was likely to multiply, if he is kept inside the prison.

If the medical grounds are rejected and the applicant is directed to resume jail, it will act as a catalyst for taking his mental sickness to a higher level and causing permanent dire consequences, he said.