The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala to appear in person before it on Friday. It has taken note of a series of political rallies being addressed by him in the run-up to the Assembly elections. The order was passed on the CBI’s plea for cancellation of interim bail granted to Mr. Chautala after his conviction in a corruption case.
In its application moved in the High Court, the CBI said though Mr. Chautala was released on bail on medical grounds, he was extensively campaigning for his party, the Indian National Lok Dal, for the upcoming polls.
The INLD supremo was mocking both the judiciary and the prosecution, said CBI counsel Rajdeepa Behura.
“I am painfully aware of it,” observed Justice Siddharth Mridul when Ms. Behura alleged that Mr. Chautala had been misusing medical certificates and violating the bail conditions. The bail, granted to the INLD leader on May 21 last year, on medical grounds has been extended several times.
When the Judge asked why the premier investigating agency had not arrested Mr. Chautala, the counsel said he had already given an undertaking to the Court that he would surrender by October 17.
The CBI’s application, mentioned before a Division Bench earlier in the day and listed before Justice Mridul, sought cancellation of Mr. Chautala’s bail, advancing the date of his surrender, warrants for his arrest for violating the bail conditions and notice to Medanta Hospital of Gurgaon for issuing discharge certificate to him.
