 "Sahara unleashes advertisement blitz")
In the ad, signed, “We, 12 lac workers, Sahara India Pariwar’, the group stuck to the claims made by Sahara’s lawyers in the court about the critical illness of Roy’s mother. “If someone is insistent to take me away from my mother before she attains at least some recovery, what should a son do? My earnest request to the administration is to help me on humanitarian grounds, as it involves the deep-rooted emotions of a son towards his beloved mother,” the ad said.
The matter of ads was brought to the notice of the Supreme Court on Thursday. Judge KS Radhakrishnan said the court would look into the matter if it was filed as an application.
ALSO READ: Few options left for Sahara chief
In the past, the Supreme Court had taken severe exception to such ads published by the group. When one of its ads made uncharitable remarks against the Securities and Exchange Board of India, it had even asked the group to issue an apology to the regulator.
ALSO READ: Sahara employees repose faith
This time, as if pre-empting such a reaction, a prominent disclaimer in the ad said, “While the matter is sub judice, the information provided herein is solely in public interest, without any disrespect to the authority of the Hon’ble Supreme Court.”
It added, “We have absolute faith on our Hon’ble President of India, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, the Hon’ble chief justice of India, respected citizens of our beloved country and respected Indian media. Our humble request to all: Kindly advise us; kindly help us.”
In the ad, published in many English and Hindi newspapers, the group insisted it had already refunded Rs 29,960 crore in cash. It said, “Now, since we have been directed by the Hon’ble court to pay another about Rs 20,000 crore in cash, we are fighting that we cannot do double payment.”
However, Sebi has contended Sahara has to prove how this amount has been refunded, as well as the assets sold to raise the sum. In the court, Sahara had said the money was raised by selling assets to other group entities such as Sahara India Cooperative Credit Society and Sahara Q Shop, which were raising money in cash through 4,700 branches.
Thursday’s advertisement said, “We at Sahara have done everything right, perfect and proper in the last 36 years, but in the last 2-3 years worldwide, have been so wrongly stamped in this Sebi case as not a law-abiding company, defaulting in payment…since the group chairman has been banned from travelling outside, everybody in the world is suspicious and enquiring whether Mr Subrata Roy is a criminal, since only criminals are banned from travelling outside.”
Keeping up with the times, the Sahara ad quoted a tweet by “Somebody from New York” which apparently said, “India is a funny country. Fly-by-night financial companies do not face much legal, administrative action, but Sahara, which did all payments, is only fighting and fighting.”
Meanwhile, Sahara’s legal strategy became a subject of many tweets. Senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi tweeted, “Astonishing who and how Sahara Roy advised legally not to appear before SC. Deliberately provoking arrest warrant. Shd hav appd, apologised.”