In more trouble for Sahara chief Subrata Roy, the Supreme Court today ordered his arrest following his failure to appear before it in a contempt case arising out of non refund of Rs 20,000 crore to investors by two of his companies.
"We issue non-bailable warrants of arrest qua Subrata Roy Sahara, alleged contemnor. He shall be arrested and produced before this Court on March 04, 2014 at 2.00 p.M.," a bench comprising justices K S Radhakriahnan and J S Khehar said.
It rejected Roy's plea to exempt him from personal appearance on the ground of ill-health of his 92-year-old mother who is said to be on death bed.
"The arms of this court are very long. Yesterday only we had refused your plea for exemption from personal appearance. We will issue the non bailable warrant. This is the Supreme Court of the land," the bench observed when senior advocate Rama Jethmalani sought to explain the reasons for his non-appearance.
He produced a medical certificate from Sahara Hospital, Lucknow, which gave the medical condition of Roy's mother and recommended that he be allowed on "humane as well as medical grounds" to be with his mother at this stage.
The bench said since it had yesterday declined to grant exemption, it did not find reason to accede to the renewal of the request made today.
