New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala to appear before it tomorrow on CBI's plea for cancellation of his bail and immediate surrender for allegedly violating bail conditions.
The court said that the need for giving Chautala a hearing cannot be done away with and directed the INLD leader, who has been out on bail on medical ground and for campaigning for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections, to appear before it.
"Issue notice to non-applicant (Chautala) for his personal appearance tomorrow," Justice Siddharth Mridul said.
"I am painfully aware of it" was how the judge retorted to CBI's allegation that Chautala has been misusing medical certificates.
The court directed that Chautala as well as his designated counsel be served with the notice. During the proceedings, CBI claimed that Chautala is mocking the court and pleaded before it to direct him to immediately surrender.
Chautala was granted relief on medical grounds in May this year. The former CM has been participating in election rallies in Haryana which goes to polls on October 15.
The 79-year-old INLD chief was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in jail in a teachers' recruitment scam case last year and was granted bail to undergo medical treatment.
Following repeated violations of bail conditions, which were brought to the notice of court by the CBI, Chautala had volunteered on September 26 that he would surrender after which he was directed to surrender on October 17.
The four-time Haryana chief minister volunteered to surrender as the court was about to order the constitution of a medical board of AIIMS doctors to consider the necessity of keeping Chautala hospitalised.
A special CBI court on January 22, 2013, had convicted and sentenced Chautala, his son Ajay and eight others to 10 years in jail for their role in the illegal recruitment of 3,206 junior teachers in 2000.
Among the others convicted in the case, 44 were sentenced to four years in jail while one was handed a five-year prison term. All of them were found guilty of cheating, forgery, using fake documents and conspiracy under IPC and of abusing their official position under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Chautala was chief minister for six months between 1980 and 1990, five days in July 1990 and for 14 days in 1991. Finally, he had a complete five-year tenure starting in 1999.
(With Agency inputs)
