Tuesday, March 15 2005 17:24 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Rejecting the plea for exemption on medical ground, a local court today (March 15, 2005) issued bailable warrant against CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) leader Harkishen Singh Surjeet in a defamation case filed by actor Anupam Kher.

The bailable warrant was issued by magistrate M H Belosay who asked Surjeet to furnish surety of Rs 10,000 and remain present on April 25 before the court.

The warrant was issued as the 90-year-old CPM leader failed to appear despite summons issued by the court.

The magistrate also rejected Surjeet's plea for a stay on the order.

Kher had dragged Surjeet to the court for allegedly defaming him in articles in party mouthpiece and describing him as an "RSS agent" while alleging that he (Kher) had saffronised the censor board in his capacity as its chairman.

Surjeet's lawyer Mohan Pungalia urged for exemption on the ground that the veteran Communist leader was not well and was admitted to Metro Hospital and Heart Institute in Delhi.

He also produced a medical certificate from the hospital, which said that Surjeet was advised four weeks bed rest.

Opposing Surjeet's exemption plea, Kher's lawyer Majeed Memon pressed for a warrant and argued that "the medical certificate was vague as it did not mention the dates of admission and discharge of the patient."

No person is above law and politicians like Surjeet should come before the court to respect the judiciary, Memon said adding, Surjeet was often seen on television and he had also undertaken a visit to Pakistan recently but was reluctant to come before the court.