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Punjab’s former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu sent to four days’ police custody
Former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu was arrested on Monday for his alleged involvement in ₹2000 crore scam related to allotment of tender for transportation of grains during his tenure as food and supply minister in the previous Congress government. It has been alleged that the tenders for transportation were allotted on fake registration number of vehicles
After an hour-long heated arguments between the prosecution and the defence counsel before the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Sumit Makkar, former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu was remanded to four days in police custody while co- accused contractor Telu Ram’s custody was further extended by two days. Ashu will now be produced again in court on August 27.
Ashu was arrested on Monday for his alleged involvement in ₹2000 crore scam related to allotment of tender for transportation of grains during his tenure as food and supply minister in the previous Congress government. It has been alleged that the tenders for transportation were allotted on fake registration number of vehicles.
Vigilance officials asserted in court that accused contractor Telu Ram needs to be confronted with Ashu to unearth the entire scam and thus his (Ashu’s) police custody is required. While seeking seven-day police remand for Ashu, the prosecution stated that the former minister was involved in accepting illegal gratification from contractors and gave tender to the contractor at high prices. The prosecution also alleged that the clusters were made arbitrarily against the policies of the government.
U-turn by co-accused
Defence counsel argued that contractor Telu Ram never met Ashu and today in court is the first time that he is standing face-to-face with the former minister as an accused. This statement by defence is in complete contrast to the earlier statements given by Vigilance that Telu Ram has confessed to having met Ashu through his PA Meenu Pankaj Malhotra for getting tenders for the season 2020-21.
“I never met Ashu earlier,” said Telu Ram, while also adding that he has been tortured in custody to make the statements against Ashu. The defence also argued that the case against Ashu is nothing but a political vendetta as the “Vigilance is dancing to the tune of the AAP government”. It was also argued that there is no evidence available with Vigilance that the former minister accepted illegal gratification and thus case against sections of Prevention of Corruption Act cannot be made out against him.
The defence also contended as to why Ashu was not arrested in Chandigarh on Monday, when Congress leaders had gone to the office of the Punjab Vigilance to stage a protest.
“Whatever I did was under policy approved by Cabinet” Ashu tells court
Denying any involvement in the alleged scam, Bharat Bhushan Ashu told the court that whatever tenders were issued was as per policy approved by the Cabinet and no rules were flouted.
Vigilance officials get a dressing down for being late
Officials of the Vigilance department received a dressing down from the Judge for arriving late in court on Tuesday, when they produced ex minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu to seek his police custody.
The Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Sumit Makkar had started filling up at 2 pm and soon became fully jam-packed by 3pm when leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and Ludhiana Member of Parliament Ravneet Singh Bittu also reached Court alongwith many advocates and party supporters. After a tiring wait, it was at 4.30pm that Vigilance officials finally brought Ashu to court.
“Why are you coming now? By this time, I am also exhausted, daily this is happening. Our day also comprises of 24 hours,” remarked the CJM to the Vigilance officials.
