Delhi high court directs O.P. Chautala to appear before it on Friday

New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Thursday directed former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala to appear before it on Friday on Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) 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 Indian National Lok Dal (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.

The former chief minister, who has been convicted and sentenced to 10 years jail term in the JBT teachers recruitment scam case, had on 26 September volunteered to surrender after which the court had fixed 17 October.

The CBI, in its fresh plea, has also sought a direction to Gurgaon-based Medanta hospital to explain as to how an “ailing” Chautala has been allowed take part in election campaign.