The Supreme Court said Maharashtra's former home minister Anil Deshmukh, arrested in connection with a money laundering case, is at liberty to file an application before the Bombay High Court for early listing of his pending bail plea.

A vacation bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and BV Nagarathna said it hopes and trusts the matter would be taken up for hearing expeditiously by the high court. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Deshmukh, said the petitioner is 73 years old and requests that his pending bail plea, which was filed in March, be heard by the high court, "the petitioner (Deshmukh) is at liberty to file application for early listing of his bail application." the bench said.