Sahara Chief Subrata Roy Surrenders, Arrested

Lucknow: Sahara India chief Subrata Roy surrendered before the police, a day after they failed to trace him to execute a Supreme Court warrant for his arrest. Soon thereafter, the apex court in New Delhi declined to revoke the warrant.

According to officials, Roy was scheduled to address a press conference at a hotel in New Delhi, but Sahara India Parivar officials told police officials that he was willing to give himself up. He then surrendered and was arrested. Sources said soon after his surrender, Delhi Police sought his transit remand after which he would be presented before the Supreme Court with regard to the non-bailable warrant issued by the apex court.

Police officials said he has been arrested after his surrender and that he would be kept in police custody till March 4, the day on which he would be presented before the apex court. So far, Roy is being kept in the Sahara estate premises where he lives and it is likely he would remain there under house arrest.

The surrender came soon after the Sahara chief released a statement to the media, saying he was not absconding and that he had already requested the law-enforcement agencies to do their duty as directed by the courts. "I am not that human being who will abscond. In fact, being a law-abiding citizen, I shall hate myself to do any such thing ever in my life," said Roy, who had informed the court that his non-appearance was neither intentional nor deliberate.

The apex court Feb 26 had issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Roy for failing to appear before it in person as directed by the court in its order six days earlier. In its order, it declined to revoke the warrant. Taking serious view of Roy's non-appearance, the apex court had said: "The arm of this court is very long. We will issue warrants. This is the Supreme Court of the land. When other directors are here, why can't he be here?"