New Delhi:The Supreme Court Thursday observed that our nation is quite strong and when time comes, people themselves will answer and there is no need to demonise it every time, when Enforcement Directorate vehemently opposed bail plea of alleged Popular Front of India (PFI) member Abdul Razak Peediyakkal, in a money laundering case, raising the contention of national security.
The apex court was hearing bail plea of alleged PFI leader Abdul Razak Peediyakkal in money laundering case. A bench comprising justices A. S. Bopanna and M. M. Sundresh observed that the petitioner is not a flight risk and if there are bail conditions which do not allow him to leave the country? And, why keep him inside and he is inside for a year?
Additional Solicitor General S V Raju said there are protected witnesses and if he is out, they may turn hostile and some witnesses were associated with PFI and he is also capable of threatening. “We have found out, in a case where a passport was taken, people have got away through the Nepal route and it is very difficult to monitor... And they have so many secret places...”, said Raju.
The bench wondered as when all others in the matter are out on bail why should he be kept behind the bars. He was living in abroad, and possible that he could have collected the money and given it to the banned organization. Nothing directly linking him to the organization, observed the bench.