Suspended Petroleum Ministry official charged with corruption

Special CBI Judge Rakesh Syal framed charges againt Uday Shankar, suspended Joint Director (Investigation) Anti-adulteration Cell of the Ministry, under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act and Indian Penal Code.

The judge also framed charges against his associate Sanjeev Kumar who was acting as a conduit and businessman S K Gupta.

"That all of you were party to a criminal conspiracy whereby you agreed to do or cause to be done an illegal act,...You accused Uday Shankar, being a public servant, demanded for yourself from accused S K Gupta, an illegal gratification of Rs 7 lakhs, as a motive or reward for forbearing to do an official act...

 

"...And all three of you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 120-B (criminal conspircay) of the IPC, read with section 7 or in the alternative section 11, and section 13 (1) (d) read with section 13 (2) of the PC Act, and within my cognizance," the court said.

The court fixed September 22 for recording the evidence of prosecution witnesses.

Earlier, the court had said there was evidence on record to show that a conspiracy was hatched between the accused to sell adulterated petroleum products for which the officer received illegal gratification of Rs 7 lakh.

Shankar, if convicted, can face jail term upto seven years.

All of them were arrested by CBI on May 22, 2004, and the investigating agency alleged the officer was apprehended whille he was taking bribe.