Cbi Seeks More Time To File Chargesheet In Fodder Scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought some more time for submitting chargesheet in a particular conspiracy angle case of the Rs 950-crore fodder scam.

CBI director Joginder Singh, in an affidavit filed in the Patna High Court, which is monitoring the investigations into the multi-crore scam, pleaded a reasonable extension of time for giving his nod to the proposed chrgesheet in the case (RC 20(a)/96).

The High Court had set a time-frame of three weeks for submitting the chargesheet. The time-frame expires on April 28. Singh in the affidavit on Wednesday, was understood to have said it would not be possible to complete the work (for filing chargesheet) within an extimated time-frame. He said the report on the conspiracy angle case, which is in eleven volumes and running into more than 2,000 pages, received from the joint director (east), U N Biswas, was under scrutiny of the special director (south and east), D R Kartikeyan and that he (Singh) received it only on April 19.

Singh said the special director recommended that the period of conspiracy should be expanded to cover from 1990 to 1995 so as to include the overt acts and illegal omissions attributed to one of the accused persons.

The CBI chief further said in the affidavit that the finer legal points raised by the special director needs examination and time.

A chargesheet without complete investigation might lead to miscarriage of justice, he said.

Singh, while speaking to newspersons, after reviewing the progress of the investigations into the mega-scam here on Tuesday, had said he had received a bagful of reports in eleven volumes running into more than 2,000 pages in connection with the case involving more than 85 persons including top politicians and bureaucrats and scrutiny of which may require some more time.

We will make a submission before the honourable court seeking extension of the time-frame if the scrutiny of documents is not not completed within the stipulated period, he had said. The high court will hear the prayer on May two.