A Delhi court on Wednesday asked Congress member of parliament Mohd Azharuddin to payRs 15 lakh as cost for not appearing before it in a cheque bounce case and "wasting its time." It also allowed plea for cancellation of non-bailable warrants issued against him.
Metropolitan magistrate Vikrant Vaid, who had earlier issued non-bailable warrants (against the cricketer-turned-politician for his failure to appear before him in the case, imposed the cost after being informed that Azharuddin had amicably arrived at an out-of-court settlement. "If settlement had to be done, it could have been done on the first date," the court said, while taking strict view on the conduct of the Lok Sabha MP from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh.
"As the accused (Azharuddin) showed utter disdain to the court and wasted its time and did not appear (before it) for this reason, I do not find any reason why the court should not impose the cost," the judge said.
