SC issues Non Bailable Warrant against Sahara Chief Subrata Roy for failure to appear [Updated]

The Supreme Court today issued a non bailable warrant against Sahara Chief Subrata Roy for failing to appear in the court despite being directed to do so vide an order passed on February 20..In a packed court room No. 7, a Division Bench of Justices KS Radhakrishnan and JS Khehar hearing the contempt petition filed by SEBI concerning refund of investors’ money, directed that Roy be produced in court on March 4 at 2 pm..When the hearing in the matter began at 2 pm today, Senior Counsel Ram Jethmalani, representing Roy, submitted that Roy could not make it to Court as he was by his mother who is on her death bed. J. Radhakrishnan said that the same plea had been made by Roy yesterday and had been rejected by the Court. Irked by the fact that the other 3 Directors of Sahara – who had been summoned along with Roy – were present in court, J. Radhakrishnan strongly condemned Roy’s conduct stating that,.“The arms of this court are very long. This is the supreme court of the land. If the other 3 directors can come, why can’t he?”.Jethmalani went on to produce a medical certificate issued by Sahara hospital testifying that Roy’s mother was suffering from Coronory Artery disease and his presence by her was important on “humane as well as on medical grounds and for her psychological strength…”.The Court, however, turned down the plea and proceeded to issue a non bailable warrant against Roy..The Court has been hearing the contempt petition filed by SEBI in 2012 on the ground that Sahara failed to comply with the Court’s order directing it to deposit money with SEBI for refund to investors..The Court had warned Sahara on earlier occassions also for statements made by the company as well as by Roy on the inability of the Supreme Court to take concrete action in the matter..Read the order of the court below..Latest Update: According to sources, Roy has moved the Supreme Court submitting that he is always ready to appear in the Court sans arrest warrant and seeking recall of yesterday’s order.