Countrywide alert as NBW issued against Sadhu

Additional Director General, Vigilance, Neelmani said that police have been alerted across the country and directed to arrest the MP. The ADG said that airports would be under watch, and that copies of the warrant have been faxed to all concerned.

Apart from corroborative evidences, the primary one against Sadhu was regarding the transfer of Rs 6 lakh to his account by prime accused in the scam Santosh Jha. On November 29, last, Sadhu had been summoned by the Vigilance department to clarify his position regarding the transfer of the amount. Sadhu had appeared before the department and tried to justify that he had received the money in lieu of a car he sold to Jha’s father.

According to the Vigilance department, the MP had bought a used Opel Astra car in June 2004 for Rs 1 lakh. Sadhu got the car from one Sumit Kumar Jena of New Delhi who bought it for Rs 7.5 lakh in 2001, the department said.

In January, 2005, Santosh Jha’s father paid Rs 6 lakh for the car. ‘‘This is unbelievable. Price of a car generally depreciates but here it has appreciated unimaginably,’’ pointed out the ADG.

‘‘This was not convincing. Apart from this we gathered more evidence against the MP and further interrogation of Santosh Jha gave corroborative evidence and provided us the basis for making the prayer (for issuing a NBAW) before the court,’’ said Neelmani.

Interestingly, Santosh Jha, in his interrogation, had reportedly disclosed that he had siphoned off money meant for flood relief with the help of some top politicians of the state. He is presently in jail along with former Patna DM Gautam Goswami, another prime accused. Crores of rupees meant for Bihar’s flood ravaged people were siphoned off in the scam.