HC extends stay on proceedings against Subrata Roy

Delhi High Court on Tuesday extended till November 27 the stay on trial court proceedings against Sahara chief Subrata Roy, now in Tihar Jail, in an income tax case for allegedly not filing returns for a group company for the assessment year 2013-14. Justice Suresh Kait said the interim order of April 10, staying the proceedings and bailable warrants against two directors of Sahara India Commercial Corporation Ltd (SICCL), J B Roy and Ranoj Das Gupta, would continue. It had earlier also stayed the production warrants issued by trial court against Subrata Roy.

The court extended relief to the Sahara chief and others after they sought time to submit their reply to the affidavit filed by the IT department. The court, however, granted them last opportunity to file their rejoinders against the IT department affidavit. "Rejoinder be filed within four weeks. List the matter for further hearing on November 27, 2015. Interim order granted on April 10, 2015, to continue," the court said. The IT department in its affidavit had contended that it had filed a complaint in the trial court against Roy and others as they had not filed their returns.

In its affidavit, it had also said that action was taken after issuing a show-cause notice to them and that the amounts claimed by the company and its directors as losses were not correct. Through its April 10 order, the high court had also stayed the proceedings against SICCL which was made an accused in the case.