HC upholds Sukhram’s conviction in telecom scam

The Delhi high court on Wednesday upheld the conviction and three-year jail term awarded by a trial court nine years ago to former telecom minister Sukhram in a 1996 telecom scam.

The Delhi high court on Wednesday upheld the conviction and three-year jail term awarded by a trial court nine years ago to former telecom minister Sukhram in a 1996 telecom scam.



A bench headed by justice S Ravindra Bhat also upheld the conviction of ex-deputy Director-General of the Department of Telecom (DoT) Runu Ghosh and Hyderabad-based Advanced Radio Masts (ARM) managing director P Rama Rao. All three accused, currently on bail, have been asked to surrender before the trial court on January 5.



The 1996 telecom scam involved award of a contract to a Hyderabad firm for supplying telecom equipment to government at exorbitant rates. Court also upheld the jail terms of Ghosh and Rao for two years and three years respectively.

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The court, however, acquitted Sukhram of the charge of conspiracy in giving the equipment- supply contract to ARM. It upheld the conviction of Ghosh and Rao on charges of conspiracy. The court, however, upheld Sukhram’s conviction for misusing his official position for pecuniary gains in the scam besides committing criminal misconduct.

Sukh Ram and two others were convicted on July 5, 2002 under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The lower court had also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh each on them.