Updated
- Toronto: There's a rumor going 'round that few NRIs may be involved
in some transaction in foreign countries
Former
Union Minister Sukhram convicted in DA case
( found cash of Rs 3.61 crore at his residences in Delhi)
Former Union Communications Minister Sukhram was convicted by a
Delhi Court for amassing Rs 4.25 cr of disproportionate assets that
included seizure of Rs 2.45 crore from his residence in New Delhi
on Friday.
Special CBI Judge V K Maheshwari held the 82-year-old
politician from Himachal Pradesh guilty under various provisions
of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The quantum of sentence against the former MP would
be pronounced on 24th February.
The maximum sentence for the offences he is convicted
for is seven years.
The court said that Sukhram acquired assets worth
Rs 4.25 crore which were disproportionate to his known sources of
his income between 1991 to 1996.
The former Minister was not present in the court
to hear the verdict as he was appearing in another criminal case
pending in the Rohini District Court and his counsel pleaded before
the special CBI judge for exemption from personal appearance for
Friday.
During arguments in the case, CBI had alleged that
Sukhram had amassed disproportionate assets, both movable and immovable,
to the tune of Rs 5.36 crore during 1991 to 1996 in his capacity
as a public servant.
Sukhram, who was the then Minister of state for
communication in the cabinet of former Prime Minister P V Narsimha
Rao, was found in possession of cash of Rs 3.61 crore at his residences
in Delhi and Himachal Pradesh, jewellery worth Rs 10.29 lakh, bank
balance of Rs 4.92 lakh and household articles worth 10.30 lakh
besides other items.
However, the court came to the conclusion that
the disproportionate assets amounted to Rs 4.25 crore.
The court convicted the Himachal Pradesh leader
under section 13(2) read with 13(1) (e) dealing with criminal misconduct
of a public servant under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The CBI had registered the case against the former
MP on 27th August, 1996 following recovery of Rs 2.45 crore from
Sukhram's residence at 12, Safdarjung lane here and Rs 1.16 crore
from his residence at Mandi in Himachal Pradesh.
The CBI had conducted the raid at his Delhi and
Himachal residences on 16th August, 1996.
Sukhram, however, had denied the charges against
him saying the money recovered from his houses belonged to the Congress
Party.
The CBI had examined former Prime Minister Rao and
then senior Congress leader Sitaram Kesari who had refuted Sukhram's
contention that the money was part of party funds.
During the arguments in the case, special CBI prosecutor
Gurdial Singh had alleged that Sukhram, in his capacity as a public
servant during the period from 20th June, 1991 to 16th August, 1996,
had abused his official position and amassed huge assets including
one palatial house at Ghaziabad and a farm house in Himachal Pradesh,
besides cash, bank balances and jewellery.
Senior counsel KTS Tulsi, appearing on behalf of
Sukhram, had argued that he was a victim of political rivalry between
the then Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and former Prime Minister
Narasimha Rao.
During the trial, CBI examined as many as 64 witnesses
to prove its charges against Sukhram.
A total of 16 witnesses were produced on behalf
of the defence including Sukhram's son Anil Sharma, MLA from Himachal
Pradesh. (NZ-20/02)
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