The Supreme Court today rejected the plea for shifting of jailed Sahara chief Subrata Roy to a guest house but allowed the group to sell properties to mobilise Rs 5,000 crore in cash and an equal amount in bank guarantee for securing his release.
The bench modified earlier restraint orders over bank deposits and sale of immovable assets saying "this did not pose any difficulty, as the same is in aid of compliance with the directions of this court."
The court, in its 27 page verdict, said it has reservations in relaxing bail conditions as the contemnors, including the 65-year-old Sahara chief, who is in jail since March 4, had adopted "dilatory tactics" to avoid compliance of earlier orders.
"The prayer for modification of the terms stipulated in our order dated March 26, 2014 granting interim bail to the contemnors is declined and the Interim Applications to that extent is dismissed.
"Prayer for shifting the contemnors to a guest house for continued custody and detention till they comply with the directions of this Court for their release on interim bail is also declined...," a bench of justices T S Thakur and A K Sikri said.
"Second set of prayers is for grant of bail or relaxation of jail conditions in the interregnum. Here, we have our reservations. We are not inclined to modify order dated March 26, granting interim bail to the contemnors upon conditions stipulated in the said order.
