Religare fraud case: SC seeks Shivinder Singh's response on ED's plea against bail

The Supreme Court has sought a response from former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh on a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against the Delhi High Court's order granting him bail in the Religare Finvest money laundering case.

A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra on Friday issued notice to Singh and ordered status quo on his release.

"Until further orders, status quo with respect to release from jail be maintained and impugned judgment not to be treated as a precedent for any other case," the bench said.

Despite the Delhi High Court's order, Singh has not been released from custody as he has not secured bail in another case lodged against him by the Delhi Police.

The apex court has now posted the matter for further hearing next week.

The Delhi High Court had on July 23 had granted bail to Singh in the money laundering case related to alleged misappropriation of funds at Religare Finvest Limited (RFL).

The bail was granted on the subject to certain conditions like furnishing of a personal bond of Rs 1 crore and two sureties of Rs 25 lakhs each. Singh was also asked to not contact or engage with any of the officials of the financial institutions or banks that are involved in the case.

In its plea, the ED has contended about the gravity of offence alleged against Singh while opposing the High Court's order of granting bail to him.

The economic offences watchdog had registered a money laundering case against Shivinder Mohan Singh, his brother Malvinder Singh and others based on an FIR registered by the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police.

The FIR was lodged on a complaint by RFL which had accused the Singh brothers of siphoning off funds and diverting loans extended by RFL. The ED had arrested Shivinder Singh on December 12, 2019.

( With inputs from ANI )