The apex court bench, which said there was nothing serious in the health condition of Senthilbalaji, however, granted the minister liberty to approach trial court to seek regular bail.

“Any observation made in the interim order against the petitioner on merits shall not come in the way of the petitioner in filing regular bail application, “the bench said.

At the outset, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Balaji, requested the court to allow Balaji’s application and referred to a condition called chronic lacunar infarction.

Rohatgi said the need for hospitalisation of a prisoner was not a prerequisite for granting medical bail and said, “the man is sick, he has had a bypass. “

Objecting to Rohatgi’s submission, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, “Seventy per cent of inmates would be sick if we go by that.”