It Returns Of Sukh Ram Under Study

Finance ministry sources said the assessment of their income tax returns, filed separately, is being done in the capital.

The Central Bureau of Investigation, probing the case from an anti-corruption angle, yesterday claimed to have found a fully-furnished bungalow in Ghaziabad, owned by the family members of Sukh Ram. More than ten accounts of his relatives in different parts of the country have been frozen. CBI sources expensive furniture and silverware were found at the Ghaziabad house, besides a fax machine. No one except the guards was found in the house, sources said.

Two of the three lockers, whose keys had been discovered from the former ministers residence, have been located, though they are yet to be opened. The hunt for the third locker was on till the evening. According to a senior CBI official, locating the banks with the lockers was an uphill task in the absence of the former minister.The two lockers could be located only because of the maze of documents seized from Sukh Rams Delhi residence, they said.

Meanwhile, a daily report of all the developments is being sent to Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, who is said to have personally cleared the raids that took place last Friday.

Senior CBI officials said that if the former minister would not be traced in the next few days, the agency would have to go through the normal procedure of seeking the help of Interpol and issuing red corner alert notices (as had been done in the case of hawala dealer Amir Bhai). In such a situation, his passport would be revoked.

However, the first priority was to locate Sukh Ram, the official said.