Bombay HC rejects Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal's plea challenging his 'illegal' arrest

A division bench comprising Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Gauri V. Godse in its order said that the “petition cannot be entertained and is dismissed,” while allowing Goyal liberty to avail other statutory remedies.

Goyal, 74, had contended that his arrest was ‘illegal’ and sought the setting aside of the Special Court order remanding him to ED custody and later in judicial custody.

The Jet Airways Founder, who had sought bail on medical grounds in September, claimed that the arrest violated his fundamental right to personal liberty as guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution, and sought directions to release him from the ‘abjectly unlawful and arbitrary custody and incarceration’.

Recently he and other accused in the case were chargesheeted by the ED.

Goyal was arrested by the ED on September 1 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

He is currently in judicial custody and lodged at the Arthur Road jail here.

The money laundering case stems from the first information report (FIR) of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Goyal, his wife Anita, and some former company executives of the now-grounded private airline in connection with the alleged fraud case.

The FIR was registered on the bank's complaint, which alleged that it sanctioned credit limits and loans to Jet Airways (India) Limited to the tune of Rs 848.86 crore, of which Rs 538.62 crore was outstanding.