Sukhram case: CBI pleads for max punishment

A Delhi court will pronounce the quantum of sentence to ex-Union Minister Sukhram in connection with a disproportionate assets case.

The CBI pleaded before a Delhi Court for maximum punishment of seven years to former Union Communications Minister Sukhram for amassing disproportionate assets of Rs 4.25 crore during his tenure in the P V Narasimha Rao Government.

The judge after hearing both the sides reserved its order on the quantum of punishment The judge said that he would pronounce the quantum of sentence against the former minister on Wednesday.

The former minister was convicted for amassing Rs 4.25 crore of disproportionate assets that included seizure of Rs 2.45 crore from his residence. The maximum sentence for the offences he is convicted for is seven years.

82 year old Sukhram had amassed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income to the tune of more than Rs.5 million between 1991 and 1996.

The CBI registered the case against the minister on Aug 27,1996 under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The agency had conducted a raid at the former minister’s residences here and in Mandi,Himachal Pradesh,in 1996 and recovered Rs.36.2 million in lose change According to the probe agency,at the time of the raid,wads of notes tumbled out of every corner including the toilet tanks,trunks,pillow covers in his house.

Meanwhile,Sukhram claimed innocence saying that he was a victim of political rivalry between then Prime Ministers H D Deve Gowda and Rao.

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