Subrata Roy arrested in Lucknow; SC hearing on 4 March

New Delhi: Sahara India chief Subrata Roy was taken in custody by the police in Lucknow on Friday morning.

In a press conference in New Delhi, Subrata Roy’s son Seemanto Roy said that Roy had “willfully submitted himself” before the Lucknow police.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has rejected Roy’s plea for an early hearing. The court will take up the matter on 4 March, as scheduled.

Earlier in a press attement on Friday, Roy had said he is not absconding from the law.

“I have started hating myself. Now I can’t handle this level of agony and humiliation,” he said, citing his mother’s illness as the reason for not appearing in court.

In the statement, Roy appealed to the court to allow him to live with his ailing mother under house arrest till 3 March.

But he said if the apex court asks him to reach Delhi on Friday, he will “unconditionally follow” its decision. “I have already informed police to do their duty as per direction of Hon’ble Supreme Court,” the statement said.

“A lot of people advised me to get admitted in some hospital and I can remain there as it is a general practice to avoid courts on medical grounds, however, I hate to do such drama,” Roy went on to say in his signed statement.

Sahara has also called a press conference in New Delhi at 10:15am to address the media.

The court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Roy on Wednesday, following which the police reached his residence on Thursday, but failed to find him.

Sahara has filed a defamation case in a Patna court against Mint’s editor and some reporters over the newspaper’s coverage of the company’s dispute with Sebi. Mint is contesting the case. 

AKANKSHA SHANU

PGDM 1year.