'Nothing more than mother': Subrata Roy on why he bunked Supreme Court

Why did Subrata Roy, boss of the controversial Sahara Group, choose to flout the Supreme Court’s explicit order to appear in person before it today to explain why he has not complied with its verdict of August 2012?

The reason he gave through his lawyer, Ram Jethmalani, was his mother’s failing health, which required the dutiful son to be at her bedside along with another brother and sister.

Jethmalani submitted a document, dated 24 February, to the apex court explaining that though Roy had travelled to New Delhi to appear in court, “…in the evening (of) 24.02.2014 the applicant received an urgent message concerning the medical health of the applicant’s mother who is 92 years old…The applicant was informed by said doctors that the condition of his mother is critical and that the applicant is required to be with her.”

Not being one to argue with doctors, Roy promptly returned to Lucknow, skipping his court date.

A second document, dated 25 February, submitted to the court is signed by doctors from, get this, Sahara Hospital, listing the ailments of Mrs Chabbi Roy (ventricular dysfunction, pacemaker, diabetes) and stating that “…her vulnerability to an adverse and abrupt outcome will evidently remain to a considerable extent and for an unpredictable period.” So that’s the next couple of months taken care of for the Sahara head.

Here’s the kicker. The Sahara hospital docs appear to have gone out of their way to not just talk about the mother’s condition, but why her mental condition required the Saharashree to hang around. The letter said: “At this age of 92 years with this stage and condition with a fragile emotional status and a deep attachment to her eldest son, we feel that on humane as well as on medical grounds and for her psychological strength her eldest son’s presence by her side is very important apart from the other son and daughter who all are present here.” (Sic)

To drive the point home, Subrata Roy himself provided a letter, dated 26 February, welcoming court officials to Lucknow to inspect his mother. “None of we brothers - sister can leave my Mother in today’s condition…Nothing is more than Mother,” the letter states.

Will the Supreme Court be impressed, now that Roy has played the mom card?

Here is the letter from the doctors.