The Supreme Court will Thursday the plea by Sahara group chief Subrata Roy challenging the court's March 4 order sending him to judicial custody, which he described as illegal.

 

 An apex court bench of Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice J.S. Kehar said that they would hear the matter Thursday as they have to go through the pleadings.

 

 At the outset of the hearing, senior counsel Ram Jethmalani told the court that in the A.R. Antulay case, the Supreme Court is obliged to rectify its own errors. Having said so, Jethmalani noted that it is embarrassing to tell the two judges that their order was not right.

 

 "It is a deep embarrassment for me. If your lordship wants to hear me, then I have no problem," said Jethmalani. Justice Kehar then said: "We will see if we are embarrassed by the pleadings. We will see it. You should know you have drafted it."

 

 The court directed the hearing of the matter at 2 p.m. Thursday. Roy had challenged the March 4 order seeking it to be set aside.

 

 On Wednesday morning, the Sahara group moved the Supreme Court pointing to the detention of Subrata Roy in a matter involving returning investors' balance of Rs.19,000 crore that its two companies SIRECL and SHICL had collected through Optionally Fully Convertible Debentures (OFCD).

 

 Subrata Roy was sent to judicial custody March 4 by an apex court bench of Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice J.S. Kehar for failing to place before the court an acceptable proposal for securing the investors money.