NEW DELHI, November 1 2014:Â Sahara chief Subrata Roy paid Rs. 31 lakh for using air-conditioners, phones, internet and video conferencing facility he had used for 57 days in Tihar jail.
The Supreme Court had allowed Roy to use the jail’s conference room and other facilities to negotiate the sale of his luxury hotels to collect the Rs. 10,000 crore needed for his bail.
“The Sahara group made the payment a few days before the withdrawal of these special services. They paid us Rs. 31 lakh, which includes the expense incurred in security, electricity and food,†said a senior jail official.
The Sahara chief was sent back to his jail cell after living in a makeshift prison office for close to two months while working on the sale of three luxury hotels in New York and London to generate money for his bail. The deal is still hanging.
Sahara has said it is in talks with multiple potential buyers but has refrained from naming any suitors.
He has been moved back to the cell after a court-imposed deadline for the use of the office expired.
Roy has, however, requested for more time. In a letter to Tihar authorities, filed recently by Roy, he had demanded the restoration of facilities saying that almost 80% of the deal had been fixed and the withdrawal of the services may lead to its cancellation.
In the letter, he had also claimed threat to his life and asked the authorities to enhance his security.
Roy was sent to jail on March 4 for the non-refund of over Rs. 20, 000 crore with interest to depositors. He was asked by the court to pay Rs. 10,000 crore to get bail — Rs. 5,000 crore in cash and the rest of the amount in bank guarantee.
Source: Hindustan Times
