The Delhi High Court on Friday directed former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, out on bail after being convicted and sentenced to 10-year imprisonment in a teachers recruitment scam case, to surrender by October 17. It also ticked off the INLD chief for appearing at a public rally in Jind on Thursday when he was granted relief only on medical grounds.

Justice Siddharth Mridul asked Chautalas lawyers to explain how the 79-year-old politician, admitted to Medanta hospital for a heart condition, was allowed to leave without the courts permission. Chautalas lawyers then submitted that he would surrender before the court.

The submission was made by the counsel as Justice Mridul was about to order constitution of a medical board of doctors from AIIMS to give an opinion on the necessity of keeping Chautala hospitalised.

The counsel argued Chautala was celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of his father and former deputy prime minister Devi Lal at Jind in Haryana, and that he was airlifted there in an air-ambulance with the permission of doctors from the Gurgaon hospital. The CBI too opposed the contentions made on behalf of Chautala, alleging that the leader was taking the court and the agency for a jolly ride by producing medical records, on each date of hearing.He was granted bail on June 3.