SC directs Samsung chief to appear in Ghaziabad court

“The warrant of arrest issued against the petitioner shall not be executed for a period of six weeks from today. In the meanwhile, the petitioner shall appear before the trial court in seisin of the case and seek bail and/or exemption from appearance in accordance with law,” said the bench.

The Ghaziabad trial court had first issued a non-bailable warrant against Lee Kun-Hee in 2012 following his failure to show up in court in connection with a case relating to bills of exchange in respect of which payments were allegedly not made by Lee Kun-Hee. Civil dispute was being heard at courts in Dubai but a criminal complaints was filed in Ghaziabad. Samsung’s boss then had to approach the Allahabad High Court for relief.

However, the High Court declined to quash the proceedings and termed Lee Kun-hee as an absconder. The company then moved the Supreme Court against this order. The Supreme Court had in June 2013 stayed the order of his arrest but eventually found no merit to interfere with the trial court proceedings at this stage.

“The special leave petition is dismissed. We make it clear that we have not expressed any opinion in regard to the merit of the case,” said the court in its order on Monday.