The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will now question the Chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and former Union Home Minister Buta Singh in connection with his son's alleged involved in a bribery scam.
Buta Singh's son Sarabjyot Singh alias Sweety was arrested by the CBI for taking a bribe of Rs one-crore from a Nashik-based civic works contractor, Ramrao Patil, last month.
The CBI joint Director Rishiraj Singh, who was here on Tuesday, informed that the agency had to obtain certain papers, pertaining to the case. "Now that we have obtained all the necessary papers, Buta Singh will be summoned for questioning soon", he said. The CBI joint director said that the complainant in the case, Nashik-based contractor Patil, who is himself under arrest on charges of cheating 100 of his employees, was not in the custody of the CBI, but of Nasik police. Patil has applied for bail, and the arguments thereon will close on Tuesday, he said.
Buta Singh's son was arrested on July 31 after he was caught allegedly taking a bribe of Rs one-crore from the contractor, Patil to close an atrocities case, filed against him under the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act. Patil has alleged in his complaint that Sarabjyot had demanded a bribe of Rs three-crore, for withdrawing the case, filed by a group of local conservancy workers' employed by him.
{{/usCountry}}Buta Singh's son was arrested on July 31 after he was caught allegedly taking a bribe of Rs one-crore from the contractor, Patil to close an atrocities case, filed against him under the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act. Patil has alleged in his complaint that Sarabjyot had demanded a bribe of Rs three-crore, for withdrawing the case, filed by a group of local conservancy workers' employed by him.
{{/usCountry}}The 100-odd conservancy workers, who work for Patil a garbage collection contractor, with Nashik Municipal Corporation, lodged the case since he was allegedly not paying them their wages and had also taken a bank loan of Rs 10-crore in their name. Sarabjyot, reported to be in touch with the aggrieved conservancy workers, allegedly approached Patil with an offer to get the case withdrawn. Answering a question, Singh said that nearly 40 officers of Police Inspector rank from various parts of Maharashtra had responded to a recent CBI advertisement for recruitment.
The CBI would shortly discuss the issue with the Maharashtra Director General of Police, so that the vacancies of investigating officers in the agency could be filled up. "Moreover, we have asked the Bombay High Court to open one special CBI court in Nagpur, in addition to the three existing ones, and another in Aurangabad, to speed up cases pertaining to the agency in both the regions," he said.
A total of 185 cases were being heard in 23 different courts in the 11 districts of Vidarbha and 5 more of Marathwada, over which the CBI Nagpur office has jurisdiction. Singh, who was on an annual inspection of the Nagpur office, also met the Chief Vigilance Officers (CVOs) of various central government offices and undertakings here, and asked them what the CBI expected from them in terms of information, about illegal activities. "We will seek the help of the Central Vigilance Commission if need be", he further added.