Sukh Ram Confirms Diary Entry

Former communications minister Sukh Ram has confirmed that the name of S K Jain, prime accused in the hawala case, is one of the entries in the diaries seized from his residence during raids on August 16.

But there has been no evidence so far that money changed hands between the former minister and S K Jain, sources said.

During interrogations by income tax officials yesterday, Sukh Ram explained that the coded initials, NATA, did not refer to Himachal Futuristic executive vice-president Mahendra Nahata, as was widely suspected.

The interrogation lasted for nearly three hours during which the former minister was once taken for medical examination.

Sources said the former minister, who looked shaken during the questioning, has decided to play difficult.

Sukh Ram confirmed some of the entries in the diaries and said they were written in his own hand. He however refused to acknowledge some other entries, which could prove to be uncomfortable for him, sources said.

Since the income tax authorities were permitted to question Sukh Ram only for yesterday, they may approach the court again for permission to interrogate the former minister at length regarding other entries in the diaries.

At the end of the questioning, the former minister refused to sign the statement he had recorded. Tihar Jail sources said the statement was later authenticated by the jail superintendent.