Remand of Punjab BJP legislator extended

Saturday May 07, 2011 07:33:02 PM, IANS

Chandigarh: The special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court here Saturday extended the remand of Punjab's chief parliamentary secretary (CPS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Raj Khurana and a former state employee till Monday.

Khurana and Devinder Singh Bittu, who are accused in a Rs.1.5 crore graft case, were arrested by the CBI from the former's residence in the high-security ministerial bungalow complex in Sector 39 here Thursday.

The CBI had demanded a 12-day remand but Special Court Judge Ritu Tagore extended the remand by only three days.

Both will be presented before the court Tuesday.

CBI counsel P.C. Dogra told the court that the agency has summoned Punjab's Industries and Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia and Technical Education and Industrial Training Minister Swarna Ram for questioning Monday.

"We have recovered a file from the possession of Devinder Singh, which has a noting from minister Swarna Ram dated April 7, 2011. Our case is very strong and we are trying to establish the link between Khurana and other two ministers," Dogra later told reporters.

The Punjab Automobile Mechanics Association had complained to the CBI that Bittu, a former official of the Registrar of Firms and Societies department, had asked for a bribe of Rs.1.5 crore for settling a case pending against them.

Bittu had allegedly told the association that he would get the work done through Khurana, who had already talked to Punjab ministers regarding the matter.

According to the complaint, he threatened that in case the bribe was not paid, the control of the association would be taken over by the government and a criminal case registered against its office-bearers.

Dogra said that the ex-official, who left the government job around five months back, follows a lavish lifestyle and is fond of expensive cars.

An expensive Porsche car, owned by Bittu, was found from Khurana's house and nearly Rs.15 lakh in cash and cheques were found from the vehicle, the counsel said.

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Picture of the Day

Vice President Mohd. Hamid Ansari attended the inaugural ceremony of Tagore’s 150th birth anniversary, at Dhaka, Bangladesh on May 06, 2011. Prime Minister of Bangladesh Mrs. Sheikh Hasina, Minister of State for Information and Cultural affairs of Bangladesh Promod Mankin and Secretary of Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh Begum Suraya are also seen.

(Photo: Debatosh Sengupta)