Jerath declared "proclaimed offender"

The order was issued by Judicial Magistrate Jasbir Singh in the district courts here. Jerath and other three persons have been ordered to appear in the court on May 15, 1998, to answer the charges made against them in the complaint. The judge observed that the order was being issued since it had been shown to his satisfaction “that the accused is absconding (or is concealing himself to avoid the service of the said warrant).”

Copies of the court order have been pasted at the residence of Jerath in Sector 7 and also those of the middlemen. While the residence of the Sharma brothers is in Sector 21, Kalia’s residence is in Panchkula. Copies have also been pasted in the court and the markets of Sector 7 and Sector 21. It is learnt that while a copy of the order was pasted at Jerath’s residence, it was torn off by members of his family.

Last month, Jerath’s bail petition had been denied by the Supreme Court and he had been asked to cooperate with the enquiry being carried out against him. Jerath, however, had not surrendered himself on the plea that his brother-in-law was unwell and he had to attend to him in Amritsar.

In this regard, Jerath had submitted an application for leave to the Administration. Later, he extended his leave on the pretext that he had to go to Chennai in connection with his brother-in-law’s ailment.

Later, police parties were sent to arrest Jerath but he was not available. Further inquiries revealed that though Jerath’s brother-in-law is indeed ailing, the accused had not visited him and reportedly had not gone to Chennai either.

Though there are some rumours that Jerath may have gone abroad, the persons dealing with the case do not agree with this opinion. They feel that Jerath is within the country and is absconding to evade arrest.

Earlier, Regional Passport Office (RPO) had directed Jerath to surrender his passport. His son had submitted the passport in the (RPO) on the plea that his father was in Chennai. His son had also pointed out that his father was expected back in the first week of April.

In the first information report registered against him in the Vigilance Cell of Chandigarh Police, Jerath was charged with accepting kickbacks worth several lakhs of rupees. The stand of the Administration in the court was that Jerath’s arrest was necessary in order to investigate thoroughly the nexus between officials and private suppliers, in which huge kickbacks were involved.