‘Sick’ Amar Singh drags himself to court in cash-for-votes case

Uttar Pradesh politician and former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh today finally made it to a Delhi special court after initially trying to duck the summons on health grounds. His lawyers are most likely to file a bail application.

Earlier seeking exemption from appearing, Amar Singh's lawyer said, "He is unwell and confined to bed." He added that his client has recently undergone a kidney transplant and was suffering from various health problems including kidney infection and high blood pressure.

But later Singh decided to attend the court session.

The court has adjourned the hearing in cash-for-vote scam during the July 2008 no-confidence motion in Parliament against the ruling UPA government. The court has asked Singh's lawyer to produce all his medical records.

"Kindly show me the paper (medical report) when kidney transplant took place and what is his condition right now," special judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said.

At this, Singh's counsel sought two days to furnish all the medical papers to the court, but the judge ordered him to submit them by the end of today.

Senior BJP leader L K Advani's former aide Sudheendra Kulkarni also failed to personally appear before the court in response to its summons. However, former BJP MPs Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Singh Bhagora appeared.

Counsel for Kulkarni sought the exemption on the ground that he was currently in the US, and even the court summons had not been served on him.