NEW DELHI: Former Union Communications Minister and the prime accused in the multi crore telecom scam, Sukh Ram, applied for anticipatory bail through his lawyers in a Delhi court last week. The Additional District and Session Judge is sued notice to the CBI on the former minister’s bail application. In his three page bail application moved through his counsel Mohit Mathur and Narender Mann, Sukh Ram fears that he may be arrested by the CBI the moment he reaches Delhi from the United Kingdom where he is presently undergoing medical treatment.
Sukh Ram stated that he was suffering from “unstable angina and has already had a coronary bypass surgeon is suffering from Hearts ailment for which he is currently undergoing medical treatment.” He said that he was desirous of returning back to India at the earliest, subject to the clearance from the doctors to travel. In a related development, the CBI also submitted a fresh FIR in court under Section 13 (2) R/W 13 (1) (e) under Prevention and Corruption Act requesting resignation of a fresh case against the former minister. Stating his indictment by the premier investigating agency as “political victimization” and that he was being falsely implicated, the former minister in his bail application stated that he was ready to assist the investigations and prove his innocence. Quoting a Supreme Court ruling, Sukh Ram said that “the police officer must be able to justify the arrest apart from his power to do so. Arrest and detention in police lockup of a person can cause incalculable harm to the reputation and self-esteem of a person. In the fresh FIR, the CBI investigating Officer B.S. Jakhar dis closed a detailed report of seizure of movable an immovable property during the search operations in Sukh Ram’s house. The seizure of movable property includes Rs 3,61,80,364 in cash; jewelry worth Rs 10,29,404; 19 bank accounts showing a total deposit of Rs 4,92,739, house hold articles worth Rs 10,30,000 and imported electronic gadgets. The immovable property includes: a palatial house constructed by Sukh Ram at Samkithar Street, Mandi in Himachal Pradesh worth Rs 20 lakh; a multistoried hotel named Mayfair in Sheri Bazar, Mandi worth Rs 50 lakh; a palatial three-storied building at D 42, Kaushambhi in Ghaziabad constructed by Sukh Ram in his own name worth Rs 1, 00, 00,000; an apple garden spread in an area of 62 big has at village Raddu in HP and a farm house.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 11, 1996
