Syndicate bank case: Warrant against MD

A court here Saturday issued a production warrant against Syndicate Bank chairman-cum-managing director S.K. Jain and extended the police custody of the alleged middleman in the Syndicate Bank bribery case, Purushottam Lal Totlani, for three more days.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Swarna Kanta Sharma allowed the investigating agency's plea to quiz Totlani till Sep 23.

The court issued production warrant against the Syndicate Bank CMD and middleman Vineet Godha for Sep 22 after it was informed that they are required to be confronted with Totlani.

The CBI had arrested Jain Aug 2 for allegedly taking Rs.50 lakh in bribe for raising the credit limit of some companies in violation of the banking rules.

The CBI told court that after surrender and during his police custody remand and after recording of statement of one witness, it has been found that Totlani was in contact with Godha, who also knew Jain.

The agency told the court that Totlani was not cooperating in the investigation.

Totlani, who was evading arrest, surrendered last Wednesday. The court last month had rejected his anticipatory bail plea and initiated proceedings to declare him as a proclaimed offender in the case after issuing non-bailable warrants against him twice.

Bhushan Steel Ltd.'s vice-chairman Neeraj Singhal is also an accused in the case. Singhal was arrested Aug 7.