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CBI challenges Sukh Ram’s acquittal

New Delhi, July 12
The CBI today challenged in the Supreme Court the discharge of former Union Minister and Himachal Vikas Congress President Sukh Ram in the multi-crore telecom scam case saying that the trial court and the Delhi High Court ignored evidence against him in the case.

A Division Bench, comprising Mr Justice M.B. Shah and Mr Justice S.N. Variava, after a brief hearing on the special leave petition, asked the agency to submit details of evidence which prima facie connected the accused to the crime.

The matter would come up before the same Bench tomorrow.

Appearing for the CBI, Additional Solicitor General Altaf Ahmed assailed the high court for ignoring the fact that the rates of the equipment to be purchased were revised higher by the then minister even after contractors had accepted the lower rates, thus causing a loss of Rs 1.68 crore to the exchequer.

However, the Bench said it would like to know point-wise the material prima facie connecting Sukh Ram to the crime.

On January 30 this year, the high court had held that prima facie there was no evidence to frame charges against the former minister. It had said the material collected by the agency at best could be the basis for a suspicion, which was not sufficient to frame charges.

The CBI in its charge sheet had alleged that in 1996, Sukh Ram had conspired with an official and owner of a Hyderabad firm to provide benefit to the latter and in the process caused a loss of Rs 1.68 crore to the government. PTI