In the midst of the alleged Rs 538 crore fraud case, Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal pleads in court with “folded hands,” claiming he has “lost every hope of life.” Currently under judicial custody, Goyal paints a bleak picture of his personal and physical circumstances, including his wife’s cancerous battle.
SUMMARY
- Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal pleads in court amid alleged Rs 538 crore fraud case
- Goyal presents a grim picture of his physical health and personal life
- The court assures Goyal of proper care for his mental and physical health
Naresh Goyal, the founder of Jet Airways, appeared before a special court in Mumbai on Saturday. He is accused of stealing Rs 538 crore from the Canara Bank. Goyal said he has “lost every hope of life” and that it would be “better if he dies in jail” than to continue living the way he is.
In September 2023, the founder of Jet Airways was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to a purported bank fraud involving an amount of Rs 538 crore. Goyal is currently being held in judicial custody at the Arthur Road jail in Mumbai.
In front of special judge M G Deshpande, Naresh Goyal filed a bail motion and appeared in court on Saturday. Goyal requested a brief personal hearing during the proceedings, and the judge granted it.
Goyal stated that “his health is very bad and precarious” while he folded his hands and experienced “continuous tremors in his whole body.” In addition, he stated that their lone daughter is ill and that his wife Anita is bedridden. He continued by saying that his wife Anita is receiving treatment for an advanced stage of cancer.
The businessman went on to say that the jail staff could only do so much to assist him. In addition, he indicated that he could not fold his legs and that his knees were painful and swollen. “I listened to him carefully and watched him as he made the appropriate submissions. I discovered that he was trembling all over. Even to stand, he requires assistance,” the judge observed.
The elderly businessman, whose health is failing, asked to be allowed to “die in the jail itself” rather than be taken to J J Hospital, citing the trip and the follow-ups as problematic.
According to the court’s roznama, or daily hearing record, Goyal stated that “he has lost every hope of life and (it’s) better he should die rather than be alive in such a situation,” as reported by news agency PTI.
Goyal added that he is unable to see the doctor in time due to the lengthy wait list and that he is not able to follow up with the doctor after his examination. In his submission, the septuagenarian businessman also stated that his health prevents him from physically attending court.
Additionally, he said that in order to submit everything in person this time, he insisted on making a physical appearance. He declared that he would no longer be picky about appearance.
“I have noted all of the information he has provided, and I have also reassured the accused that he will not be left in a vulnerable position, and that all appropriate measures will be taken to ensure his physical and mental well-being,” the judge declared. The special court instructed Naresh Goyal’s attorneys to take the necessary action regarding his well-being.
Goyal stated in his December 2018 bail plea that he had a number of medical ailments, including a heart condition, a prostrte, and orthopedic problems. In addition, he asserted that there were good reasons to think “he is not guilty.”
The next hearing for Goyal’s bail application before special judge M G Deshpande is set for January 16. Based on a CBI FIR that claims there was a Rs 538 crore fraud at Canara Bank, the ED is pursuing charges against Goyal, his spouse, and a few former Jet Airways executives.
