The Delhi High Court today refused to suspend the sentence awarded to former BJP President Bangaru Laxman in a graft case, on his appeal filed against his conviction and sentencing by the trial court.

Issuing notice to CBI on the appeal of Laxman, Justice Mukta Gupta sought its response by July 5. However, the court declined his plea to immediately suspend the sentence on medical grounds.

The trial court had on April 28 awarded Laxman four years jail term and had imposed a fine of one lakh rupees on him in a graft case.

Laxman's conviction in the case came eleven years after he was caught accepting a bribe in a fictitious defence deal during a sting operation by a news portal.