Passing classified docs: 5 accused sent to CBI custody

Five persons including three government servants, arrested for allegedly passing on classified official documents to private persons, were today remanded to CBI custody till March 19 by a Delhi court.
Three government employees, Ashok Kumar Singh, Lala Ram Sharma and Daljeet Singh, chartered accountant Khemchand Gandhi and Paresh Chimanlal Budhdev were produced before the court and CBI sought their two-day custodial interrogation.
CBI sought police custody of all the accused saying they have to be confronted with each other regarding the documents which have been seized during investigation.
The agency said that huge incriminating documents have been seized during the probe and these accused were allegedly passing on and procuring classified and secret documents.

CBI told the court that various e-mails and hard disks were being analysed and accused were required to be confronted with each other to unearth the entire conspiracy.
It said that Daljeet was arrested yesterday and it was revealed that he used to pass on sensitive documents to accused Ashok Kumar Singh who in turn sent those documents to Gandhi.

The counsel appearing for the five accused opposed CBI's plea contending that they were not required for further custodial interrogation as the alleged documents have already been recovered by the agency.
Special CBI Judge S C Rajan, after hearing submissions, remanded the accused to CBI's custody till March 19.

Ashok Kumar Singh, under secretary in Department of Disinvestment of the Finance Ministry, and Lala Ram Sharma, section officer in the Department of Economic Affairs, and Gandhi were produced in the court after expiry of their five days CBI custody.
Daljeet Singh was working as an Upper Divisional Clerk in Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion of the Ministry of Commerce and Industries and Paresh Chimanlal Budhdev, a partner in Mumbai-based law firm Chitale and Associates.