New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended till the next week its earlier order granting interim medical bail to M Sivasankar, the former principal secretary to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in connection with the money laundering charges levelled against him in the LIFE Mission case.

A bench presided over by Justice M M Sundresh extended the interim relief after it was apprised that Sivasankar recently reported to Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER) Pondicherry for medical examination.

On December 8, 2023, the apex court had asked the retired bureaucrat to undergo a medical examination at Pondicherry’s JIPMER after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) demanded that Sivasankar be examined in any government hospital outside Kerala.

The anti-money laundering agency had opposed the extension of interim bail on medical grounds saying that Sivasankar's application is based on certifications issued by private hospitals. In August last year, the Supreme Court had ordered release of the applicant on interim bail after his counsel pointed out that Sivasankar has serious health issues and needs expert treatment.