New Delhi: Delhi High Court has sought the stand of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on an interim bail plea filed by Jawad Ahmad Siddiqui, an accused in the Al-Falah Trust money laundering case.Siddiqui has sought six weeks’ temporary release, citing his wife’s ongoing treatment for cancer.Justice Madhu Jain issued notice to the agency after Siddiqui challenged a trial court order rejecting his plea for interim bail.Appearing for Siddiqui, senior advocate Vikram Chaudhri said his wife, Usma Akhtar, is undergoing treatment for stage IV ovarian cancer and requires continuous care.Seeking interim bail, Siddiqui argued that he is the primary caregiver and needs to be with her during treatment.Opposing the plea, the ED said the petition was not maintainable and that it would file a response.Earlier, the trial court had dismissed Siddiqui’s plea after examining Akhtar’s medical records. It said that while she was suffering from stage IV cancer, the records did not indicate an immediate life-threatening condition or emergency warranting interim bail.The court noted that the medical documents described her condition as “stable” and recorded a “good response to treatment”.It held that Siddiqui had failed to show that his wife was terminally ill, unable to manage her daily routine, or that no alternative caregiver was available.The court also observed that the couple’s adult children could travel to India to provide support if required.The order recorded that Akhtar had travelled to the UAE in Feb this year and that there was no material to show she was unable to manage daily activities or lacked assistance.According to the ED, the money laundering probe stems from multiple FIRs registered by Delhi Police alleging cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy related to the functioning of Al-Falah University and associated entities.
