New Delhi, Sept. 6: Amar Singh, the Calcutta boy who grew up into a great political entertainer by mouthing skewering one-liners, was today sent to Tihar jail by a court that refused to accept his plea that a “rotten (ailing) apple” couldn’t be equated with healthy “oranges”.

The Rajya Sabha MP is an accused in the note-for-vote case that hit Parliament three years ago.

Amar fell back on his version of the economics lesson in fruity comparison after special judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal had denied bail to the former Samajwadi Party leader, who said he was “living on borrowed kidneys” and needed constant monitoring.

Along with Amar, the judge also sent two former BJP MPs, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Singh Bhagora, to judicial custody for 14 days for their alleged role in the 2008 trust vote scandal.

In July, 2008, Kulaste, Bhagora and Ashok Argal, who is still an MP, had waved wads of cash in the Lok Sabha before the vote and alleged they were offered the money to save the UPA government following the Left’s withdrawal of support over the nuclear deal.

After a Supreme Court rap for “shoddy” probe, Delhi police chargesheeted Amar, the two BJP MPs, former L.K. Advani aide Sudheendra Kulkarni and several others for their alleged role in the scam. The police said it could not find any evidence against Congress leaders.

The chargesheet says there “is no evidence to link” the money shown by the BJP MPs with Amar, but “circumstantial evidence leads to the conclusion” that the money was sent by him.

Soon after being denied bail, Amar moved a plea for interim bail on medical grounds. The MP, who turned up in court after his lawyer had pleaded for exemption from personal appearance on health grounds, walked up to the judge and told her he would not flee or “tamper with evidence” if granted bail. “I am only an accused and not guilty,” he said.

He told the judge he had undergone kidney transplant in Singapore. “I am a patient and my body needs constant monitoring and maintenance as I need regular dialysis and blood tests...” Amar pleaded.

But the judge said she had “already passed the order” in the case. “Let the prosecution be given a chance to verify your medical records,” she added.

“I am a rotten apple because of health grounds and cannot be compared with oranges. Apples and oranges cannot be equated,” Amar pleaded. “I am now living on borrowed kidneys. There is infection in my urinary tract which is dangerous for my borrowed kidney and it can get infected if I am not provided round-the-clock medical care.”

But the judge asked: “What has been your medical history since September 2010? Whatever you have given to me is prior to that period.”

Amar said he could not get all the reports because of lack of time. As the judge started reading out the order, Amar started praying with folded hands.

Moments before being led away, Amar was asked to shed his accessories. “I am not returning home. Give all medical records to the lawyer,” he told his wife over his cellphone as he handed his khadi waistcoat, wristwatch, wallet, gold chain and silver ring to one of his supporters.

A little later, the high-profile politician, who is used to driving around Delhi’s roads in a Toyota Lexus, was whisked away to Tihar in a prison van to join inmates Suresh Kalmadi, A. Raja and Kanimozhi.

An official said Amar had been lodged in a solitary 15-by-10ft cell in jail No. 3.