JBT scam: SC dismisses Chautala's plea for extension of bail

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed convicted former Haryana Chief Minister OP Chautala’s plea seeking extension of bail given to him on medical grounds in teachers’ recruitment scam, saying opinion of a high-level medical board shows his hospitalisation is no more required.

A bench of justices HL Dattu and SJ Mukhopadhaya, however, extended from September 17 to September 23, the time given to him for surrender before jail authorities and said he should do so without failure.

The bench also directed the jail authorities to “give proper, effective, efficient and expert medical assistance if required by Chautala.”

The 78-year-old INLD leader had moved the apex court after his plea for extension of interim bail on medical grounds was dismissed on September 6 by the Delhi High Court directing him to surrender before Tihar Jail authorities on September 17.

The high court had refused to extend his bail by relying on the AIIMS medical board’s report which had said that presently Chautala’s hospitalisation is not required.

Chautala, his son Ajay Chautala and 53 others are serving varying jail terms in the Junior Basic Trained (JBT) teachers’ recruitment scam.

The senior Chautala has moved the high court challenging his conviction and 10-year jail term awarded in the junior teachers recruitment scam.

On January 22, the trial court had sentenced Chautala and nine others, including his son Ajay, to 10 years jail term for illegally recruiting 3,206 JBT teachers in 2000.

Among other convicts, 44 have been sentenced to four years in jail and one was sentenced to five-year jail term in the case.

All of them were held guilty of cheating, forgery, using fake documents as genuine, conspiracy under the IPC and for abusing their official position under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

PTI