They looked composed when they came into the court room, seemed agitated when the judgment was going against them — from a smirk to a stoic look, from nervousness to uneasiness — the reaction of the accused in the 2008 cash-for-vote scam changed every minute during the hearing at a court in Tis Hazari.
When Mr Amar Singh made a dramatic entry into the court on Tueday afternoon, the look on his face substantiated the argument that he was unwell.
Clad in a cream-coloured kurta-pyjama and a light brown waistcoat, he listened to what the judge said keenly, keeping track of every word while maintaining a grim face.
Right behind him sat two others accused — ex-BJP MPs Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahabir Singh Bhagora. The two showed no sign of uneasiness at the beginning but as the judgment was about to be read out, their smile vanished.
Suhail Hindustani, another accused, appeared in the court sporting a Gandhi cap with the slogan “I Am Anna” on it. He waved towards the media and kept grinning. Hindustani, who is already in custody, passed on a written note to the media about the “discrimination and injustice” to Muslims in Tihar jail.
When special judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal rejected the bail plea applications of Mr Singh, Mr Kulaste and Mr Bhagora, and sent them to judicial custody, the trio seemed expressionless for a moment.
Amar Singh kept his eyes lowered and continued fiddling with the “Kalava” — the sacred Hindu thread — tied on his right-hand wrist.
He kept tapping his foot and intermittently raised his eyes to look around. A look of dejection dawned upon him as he left the courtroom, escorted by the police.