SC declines interim relief to Jagdishan

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to grant any interim protection to HDFC Bank managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) Sashidhar Jagdishan in a bribery case linked to the governance dispute at Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital, directing him instead to raise all arguments before the Bombay High Court, where his plea to quash the criminal case is scheduled to be heard on July 14.

- Utkarsh Anand

A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and R Mahadevan, while declining to intervene at this stage, noted that although the matter had seen repeated judicial recusals in the high court, it was now finally listed for hearing.

“We are informed that the matter is listed before the Bombay High Court on July 14. In view of this, we are not inclined to entertain this petition,” the court said in its order. It added that Jagdishan’s quashing plea was earlier listed on June 18, 25, and 26, but could not be taken up due to judges recusing themselves. “In this background, we hope and trust that the high court will take up the matter on the designated date.”