Following the arrest of his father and Sahara chief Subrata Roy in lucknow on Friday, Executive Director of Sahara India Pariwar Seemanto R Roy defended him saying wrong impression is being formed against him by some vested interests.
He stated that his father is a law abiding citizen and could not appear before the Supreme Court due to illness of his grandmother. While addressing the Press conference, Seemanto also read out a letter signed by senior Roy. On Friday morning, there was speculation that Subrata Roy himself could be present at the Press conference and these talks gained further ground after a team of Crime Branch of Delhi Police team reached at the venue.
However, Seemanto addressed mediapersons and announced that his father had willfully surrendered before the lucknow police in the morning. Citing the poor health of his grandmother, he said, “Subrata Roy wanted to spent time with his 92-year-old mother Chabbi Roy, who is seriously unwell and admitted to hospital. So he decided to go back to lucknow immediately and any son would do that. The condition of his mother continues to remain fragile.” Seemanto added that the medical reports of his grandmother had been submitted to the court.
While enumerating the contributions of the Sahara group in the past many years, Roy said that they had helped the Kargil martyrs, victims of earthquakes, victims of Mumbai attacks among others. “It pains me to see Sahara chief's name tarnished in this manner,” he said.
Roy also stated that on February 25, their senior legal counsels moved a special application for seeking personal exemption along with a medical certificate issued by Padamshree Dr Mansoor Hasan, Head of Cardiology Department of the Hospital in City of lucknow run by Sahara India Pariwar, which clearly states the fragile and deteriorating condition of Saharasri Ji's Mother.