Court denies relief against arrest to ex-India cricketer

Justice Hima Kohli directed Martin, and the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) and assistant commissioner of police (ACP) of Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport to appear before her April 4.

The court earlier sought a status report from police in the case against Martin, 38, accused of allegedly forging documents to facilitate illegal immigration.  Police told the court in their reply that Martin appeared neither before the DCP nor the ACP and they needed to arrest him.

Justice Kohli declined the plea of Martin, an Indian Railways batsman who played 10 one-day international matches for India, for an immediate direction to police not to arrest him as he would co-operate in investigation.

The court's direction came on Martin's plea challenging the trial court's order dismissing his anticipatory bail plea.  The cricketer, who made his debut against the West Indies in 1999, moved the high court after the trial court issued a non-bailable warrant against him and initiated proceedings to declare him a proclaimed offender for failing to join the investigation.