Deadline For Sukh Ram'S Return Extended

The special Central Bureau of Investigation court has decided to conduct a hearing today on the anticipatory bail application of the former communications minister.

Special Judge Ajit Bharioke, in his order yesterday, dismissed the application of Sukh Ram's counsel, who has challenged the powers of the special CBI judge to entertain the anticipatory bail application of the former communications minister.

Bharioke said that even though he was a special judge, dealing with only cases pertaining to the premier investigating agency, he had the powers of an additional sessions judge too. Therefore, he said, he could entertain the anticipatory bail application of Sukh Ram.

 

Meanwhile, the income-tax authorities probing the telecom scandal have attached two lockers in the name of Sukh Ram's family members at Shimla. Finance ministry officials said it has been decided to wait for the former communications minister to return to the country before opening the lockers. If he does not return in the next few days, we may even take a search warrant from the court and open the lockers, as had been done in the case of the four other lockers, said an official.

The CBI yesterday examined Colonel S K Sharma, Sukh Ram's son-in-law.

The examination went on for several hours. However, her wife and the former minister's daughter, Ritu, was not examined.