Monday, September 4 2006 15:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: In a significant move, absconding medical practioner J S Bedi, charged with giving false medical certificates to one of the accused in the Jessica Lall murder case today made an offer in the Delhi High Court to surrender before police.

A senior counsel appearing for Bedi also withdrew from the court the anticipatory bail application moved earlier by the medical practioner.

Bedi's latest surrender offer brings to an end the fortnight-long hunt launched by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to nab the medical practitioner who fearing his imminent arrest turned fugitive from the second week of August.

During the past fortnight, police conducted several raids at Chandigarh including his clinic and residence besides other locations to arrest Bedi.

The SIT was in the process of moving an application in the court for declaring Bedi a proclaimed offender and attach his property which apparently made him make the surrender offer.

The Chandigarh-based doctor was earlier charged by the SIT with having issued false medical certificates to Vikas Gill, one of the accused in the Jessica Lall murder.

It was alleged that Bedi issued several medical certificates to claim that Gill was suffering from spinal problems, to facilitate the accused's exemption during the trial court hearing.

Taking advantage of the fake certificates allegedly issued by Bedi, Gill not only obtained exemption from court hearing but also fled the country in October 2004.