M A I N   N E W S

Golden Forests CMD in Ropar jail
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Dec 27 — Plainclothesmen of the Punjab Vigilance Department swooped down on the Chief Managing Director of Golden Forests India Limited, Mr R.K. Syal, and whisked him to an unknown destination, here today.

Sources in the Vigilance Department contend that he was produced in court today, remanded to judicial custody till January 1, 2001, and is at present lodged in the Ropar jail. His family member, Ms Promilla Syal, was remanded to police custody till December 30.

The drama began when 15-odd personnel in plain clothes descended on a private hospital in two unnumbered gypsies just after 2.30 pm where Mr Syal was undergoing treatment and recuperating.

Led by DSP, Ludhiana, and Ropar, the police personnel arrived on the second floor of the hospital where Mr Syal was kept in isolation for treatment of tuberculosis and osteoarthritis which makes even the slightest movement a painful exercise.

They insisted on taking him with them despite his repeated pleas of being left alone and at the hospital or with his family members. While all his requests fell on deaf ears, the personnel stuck to taking him with them.

Instead of taking the hospital ambulance, the personnel chose to take him by a gypsy citing the reason that they did not want to divulge the destination they were taking him to.

Defence counsel of the directors said he was informed of the decision of the personnel of the Vigilance Department on the telephone. He immediately rushed to the hospital but all reasons and arguments failed to cut any ice with them. He said he did not have any clue to the whereabouts of his client.

Interestingly, though Mr Syal was undergoing treatment at the hospital since November 30, he was taken away by the personnel without being issued a discharge certificate despite being declared unfit. However, doctors of the hospital refused to comment on the issue.