Supreme Court To Hear Tomorrow Appeal Against Delhi HC's Order Granting Interim Bail To Magunta Raghava Reddy In Delhi Liquor Scam Case

The Supreme Court listed for tomorrow (June 9 2023), an appeal challenging the Delhi High Court order which had granted 15 days of interim bail to Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) MP Magunta Srinivasulu’s son Magunta Raghava Reddy. The matter was mentioned for urgent listing by ASG SV Raju before a vacation bench comprising Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice Rajesh Bindal. 

Reddy was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in February 2023 in connection with the Delhi Liquor Policy Scam. Seeking an urgent listing of the appeal, ASG Raju submitted–

"This is a matter where regular bail has been rejected by the trial court. Another bail sought in connection of wife's health was also rejected and then later withdrawn in the High Court. Now the bail has been granted because mother-in-law slipped in the bathroom and is under observation in the hospital. It is nothing serious. The High Court has given 15 days of interim bail in a PMLA matter...for the grandson! In ICU noone is allowed to meet. There are three siblings also...I'm asking for stay."

Upon the ASG's submission, Justice Aniruddha Bose remarked–

"We cannot stay an order without hearing the other side."

ASG Raju then suggested that the matter could be listed tomorrow. The court agreed to the same and the appeal will be heard tomorrow.

On May 8 2023, a Delhi court had dismissed Magunta’s interim bail plea. The court had stated that he was being prosecuted for money laundering which was a serious economic offence and thus bail could not be granted. "Court is prima facie of the view that there is a genuine case made out by the investigating agency showing active involvement of the applicant in the commission of the alleged offence of money laundering and this court is not able to arrive at any finding contrary to the said view," the judge had remarked.