Sukh Ram'S Lockers Opened, Cash Seized

The investigating agencies were earlier planning to open the lockers after Sukh Ram's return to the country, but changed it fearing further delay in his return. The four lockers were sealed immediately after the raids on August 16.

While three lockers, registered under the names of Sukh Ram's family members, were at the Syndicate Bank in R K Puram, the fourth was in the Punjab and Sind Bank branch at Vasant Vihar.

One of the lockers were booked under Sukh Ram's wife Ram Devi's name and she was operating another jointly with son Anup Sharma, who has business interests in Dubai.

Sources in the investigating agencies said that Ritu Sharma, daughter of the former minister and who was present at the official residence in Safdarjung, when the raids took place in February, was asked by the Central Bureau of Investigation to be present when the lockers were opened. When she failed to turn up, the agency opened the lockers in the presence of independent witnesses.

The former minister's daughter told the Central Bureau of Investigation that she was not operating any locker in the capital. She and her husband were to have reported to the CBI for examination but had failed to do so.

The couple will now be served with notices to appear before the CBI on another date.

Meanwhile, the CBI continued to grill Anil Sharma, a minister in the Himachal Pradesh government and son of the former minister, for the second day in succession.

The examination is being carried out to ascertain the properties that are suspected to have been amassed by Sukh Ram. Anil Sharma arrived at the Lok Nayak Bhavan office of the CBI around noon and the examination continued till the evening. CBI officials said he would be interrogated again.