LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI, Feb 28 � Sahara chief Subrata Roy was arrested in Lucknow today after he evaded for two days a non-bailable warrant issued by the Supreme Court for his failure to appear before it in a case of non-refund of Rs 20,000 crore to investors, reports PTI.
Capping a day of dramatic developments, 65-year old Roy surrendered before police this morning after calling them to Sahara Shaher.
�Roy has been arrested and will be produced in court later today,� SP Trans-Gomti Habibul Hasan said.
Senior advocate Ram Jethmalani told a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice KS Radhakrishnan that Roy is in police custody in Lucknow and pleaded for recall of NBW issued on February 26. He submitted that the special bench, which is hearing the case, should take up the application today itself. But, his plea was turned down as the judge said it is not possible for the special bench to assemble today.
The day started with Subrata Roy issuing a signed two-page statement, claiming he was not absconding and was ready to �unconditionally follow� Supreme Court�s direction.
Minutes after his arrest in Lucknow, son Seemanto addressed a hurriedly called press conference in Delhi and said his father was cooperating with the authorities and he had wilfully submitted before the police.
Seemanto also said that arrest would not impact the business of the group, which claims to have a networth of over Rs 68,000 crore with lakhs of employees.
Roy tried to explain his non-appearance before the apex court on the ground that he had gone out of Sahara Shaher to consult a panel of doctors and also to meet a lawyer.
The police had gone to his home yesterday to arrest him but failed to find him there.
Roy also appealed to the Supreme Court to allow him to be with his 92-year-old �ailing mother under house arrest till March 3, 2014�, while adding that he was ready to reach Delhi even today, if court wants him to do so.
Issuing a non-bailable warrant against Roy, the Supreme Court on February 26 had asked the police to arrest him and present before the court on March 4.
Moving the apex court yesterday, Roy had admitted that he had �erred� by his non-appearance under a bonafide belief that the court will permit him exemption from personal appearance for one day.
�A lot of people advised me to get admitted in some hospital and I can remain there as it is the general practice to avoid courts on medical grounds. However, I hate to do such drama,� he said in today�s statement.
Roy also accused �some negative minded emotionally confined media people� for his �agony and humiliation� and said some of these journalists were �sometime back thrown out of Sahara�.
�They are bullying and indulging in character assassination of a son who is trying to perform his emotional duty towards his ailing mother. God forbid, if any untoward thing happens with my mother, in my absence, I shall never forget in my life those people� he said.
