Corporate espionage: Notice to CBI on accused's bail plea

A court here on Tuesday issued notice to the CBI on the bail plea of a government employee accused of leakage and sale of confidential government documents.

Special Judge S.C. Rajan asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file its reply by April 15 on the bail plea of Lala Ram Sharma, posted as section officer in the economic affairs department.

The court also fixed the same date for further hearing on the bail plea of Paresh Chimanlal Budhdev, a partner in Mumbai-based Chitale and Associate, who has moved bail application last week.

Chartered accountant Khemchand Gandhi with three more government employees -- Ashok Kumar Singh, Daljeet Singh and Ram Niwas -- are the other accused in the case.

An upper division clerk in the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP), Daljeet was arrested from his hideout here last month and the CBI said he was allegedly providing confidential documents to his counterparts in the finance ministry who in turn were giving these to the Mumbai-based Gandhi, who later passed them to various corporate houses.

The CBI on March 12 filed a case and raided eight places, including offices of various ministries and private establishments, in New Delhi and Mumbai, and arrested under-secretary in the disinvestment and grievances department Ashok Kumar Singh and Sharma.

Gandhi was arrested from Mumbai during a CBI raid.