In a case challenging the grant of bail to a cancer patient, the Supreme Court recently called out the Enforcement Directorate for filing such a petition while ‘wasting the stationery, the legal fees and court time’.
“The department ought not to have filed such a Special Leave Petition, wasting the stationery, the legal fees and the court’s time,” the bench headed by Justice MR Shah said.
The bench, also comprising Justice MM Sundresh, refused to interfere in the case, noting that the accused was suffering from malignancy and cancer and, thereafter, had been released on bail.
While refusing to interfere in the matter, the bench imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh to be borne by the officer who granted the permission to file the Special Leave Petition.
The cost of Rs 1 lakh is to be recovered from the salary of the officer concerned.
The court has directed the ED to deposit the fine with the Supreme Court Registry within a period of four weeks.
The bench further directed that of the fine amount, Rs 50,000 should be transferred to the National Legal Services Authority, New Delhi, and Rs 50,000 to the Supreme Court’s Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee.
