A Delhi court today asked former Union Minister Sukh Ram, convicted in a 1993 telecom scam, to surrender today failing which it would issue non-bailable warrants against the convict.
"I will have to issue a non bailable warrant against Sukh Ram. I am bound by the high court order and I have to comply with it," said Special CBI Judge Sanjiv Jain.
In a U-turn, the 86-year-old's counsel Anil Nag told the court that the former minister was not in a state of coma and would be surrendering before the court today.
Nag told the court that Sukh Ram was not in coma but in a state of drowsiness and the advocate who appeared for him yesterday had gone "over the board" while stating so.
Sukh Ram's counsel told the judge that the veteran politician will anyhow come to the court and surrender even if he has to come in an ambulance.
"I submit that he will surrender and we will bring him in an ambulance as soon as possible," he said, adding that issuance of NBW against his client will adversely affect his Special Leave Petition (SLP) pending in the Supreme Court.
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While brushing aside Sukh Ram's plea that he may be taken into judicial custody in the hospital itself, the judge, instructed the court staff to inform the concerned authorities to make adequate arrangements in case Sukh Ram comes to surrender in an ambulance and unable to move on his own.
Sukh Ram was directed by the Supreme Court to surrender before the trial court on January 5 but he avoided the same citing medical reasons.