Jailed Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy’s plea for his release on humanitarian grounds yesterday evoked a sharp reaction from the Supreme Court.
You have to pay only one-fifth of your amount. The person who is blessed with so much money is sacrificing his liberty in jail and not parting away with his property. You are in jail by choice.
– SC Bench Headed by Justice T S Thakur
The bench was referring to Roy’s earlier claims of possessing assets worth Rs 1,85,000 crore.
The remarks were made when senior advocate Kapil Sibal was making a submission that it was not fair for the court to keep Roy in jail when the contempt proceedings against him were not over.
Senior advocate Sibal, in fact, said that having read all the orders, he believed that the court should consider Roy’s release on humanitarian grounds. However, the SC quashed the request with these words:
Even if you are released, the sword will be hanging over your head on your return (from jail). You have to pay the remaining amount. This is a case which can be argued for days, weeks and months.
– SC Bench Headed by Justice T S Thakur
The jail has a facility for Roy where he can negotiate with potential buyers for his properties to collect money for his release.
The last date for Roy to submit an amount of Rs 10,000 crore is August 16.
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