SC stays order to produce Sahara chief before Patna HC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court stayed the Patna High Court order directing the DGP, Bihar, to produce Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy before it on May 16 in a matter in which it was said that some companies of the Group were not returning money to the investors.

The apex court also stayed the separate order passed by the high court which had on February 11 directed to add Sahara Credit Cooperative Societies Limited and Roy as opposite parties to a bail petition pending before it and later, directed him to personally appear before it.

On April 27, the HC had directed Roy to personally appear before it noting that Sahara Group and other companies, which have been taking deposits till about one month back, are directed to come up with a plan for the return of investment of the investors.

A bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and JB Pardiwala issued notice on the petition filed by Roy challenging the HC orders.

Stay of operation of the impugned judgement and order qua the petitioner, the bench said and posted the matter for hearing on May 19.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, informed the bench that earlier in the day, the high court has passed an order directing the Bihar DGP to produce Roy.

We are informed that pursuant to the impugned order, the HC has issued further order today which has the effect of directing higher authorities to produce the petitioner before the court, SC observed.

We stay the operation of that direction given by the HC, the bench said, adding that all concerned would act upon SC's order.

Sibal told the bench that the HC had passed these orders while hearing an anticipatory bail plea which has nothing to do with the petitioner.

He argued that some investors moved the HC and said Sahara group has not given them the money and the HC then passed the order in February.