The Supreme Court maintained its stand in the Subrata Roy case, as it scanned details of the Sahara group chief's assets while hearing his plea for an extension of his interim bail to six months. Roy's counsel Kapil Sibal put forth a list of personal wealth and assets to assure the court that Roy would not run away from the court-fastened £3.6 billion financial liability, of which, he has already deposited £1.20 billion with market regulator Sebi. Sibal gave a sealed cover document to a bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justices A R Dave and A K Sikri, listing Roy's personal wealth including immoveable assets in India and moveable assets abroad. The surprised bench, was about to reveal the total value, but Sibal stopped them saying, "Please keep it secret and in sealed cover. If Roy is released for six more months, he will pay every penny that is due from him. Market regulator Sebi can independently sell the assets."
The bench asked, "Your wealth and assets are huge and valued at a price that is far bigger than the liabilities. A person with this kind of wealth, why did he suffer two years of incarceration and not pay up the dues. Why is he reluctant to pay?" After a verbal through and fro, the court said Roy can file an undertaking within a week that he would deposit with Sebi a minimum of £20 million before July 1 to enjoy extension of interim bail till July 11. It also permitted him to travel anywhere in India.
However, SC directed Sebi to commence sale of 60 properties whose title documents Sahara has been submitted. On account of Roy's mother's death, he and group director Ashok Roy Choudhary - who was sent to Tihar Jail in March 2014 for non-compliance of the SC's 2013 judgment directing Roy to refund £2.40 billion - were allowed to come out of jail.
