New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday framed
charges against Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Ajay
Singh Chautala for allegedly possessing wealth exceeding his
known sources of income finding prima facie evidence against
him.
The trial will start on November 11 with the recording
testimony of prosecution witnesses.
Paving the way for start of the trial of Chautala,
Special CBI Judge P S Teji found "prima facie" evidence
against him and framed charges under various provisions of the
Prevention of Corruption Act.
"I am of the considered opinion that prima facie case for
framing charge under Section 13(1)(e) read with Section 13(2)
of the Prevention of Corruption Act is made out against the
accused for acquiring assets disproportionate to his known
sources of income," the judge said.
The court, in its order, said Ajay Chautala, son of
former Chief Minister of Haryana Om Prakash Chautala, was
possessing assets which are 339.27 per cent exceeding his
legal income.
Ajay`s legal income between May 1993 to May 2006 was
Rs 8.17 crore. However, he acquired assets worth Rs 27.7
crore, CBI alleged.
"It has been demonstrated that during the check period
(May 24, 1993 to May 31, 2006), Ajay Singh Chautala was having
income of Rs 8.17 crore whereas he acquired the assets worth
Rs 27.74 crore, that is 339.27 per cent which were
disproportionate to his known sources of income," the court
said.
It said the sitting Haryana MLA has "failed to give any
explanation with regard to assets accumulated by him. He has
failed to disclose the legal sources from which he acquired
such assets."
The court, in its order, said Ajay Chautala had purchased
"benami" properties in the name of five co-accused in the
case.
"I am of the view that the assets acquired by Ajay Singh
Chautala remained unaccounted for. It has also come on record
that he has purchased benami properties in the name of his
co-accused Chet Ram, Om Prakash, Abhimanyu Singh, Rajender
Kumar and Net Ram," it said.
The charges against the five co-accused were framed on
September 20 and they have been accused of abetting Chautala.
The witnesses had stated the properties of Chautala (farm
house and `kothi`), which are now in the names of co-accused,
have been purchased by the INLD leader, the court said.
"The witnesses have also stated the accused made dealings
with them with regard to their properties on which Chautala
farm house and Chautala kothi were constructed and that
payments were made by Ajay Chautala himself. Other properties
mentioned in the charge sheets have also been acquired by Ajay
Chautala in the name of his family members," it said.
The case against Om Prakash Chautala and his family
members had been registered by CBI on a complaint of Shamsher
Singh Surjewala, a Congress leader from Haryana.
The court rejected the plea of Chautala that CBI did not
get a "proper sanction" to prosecute him.
"No saction was required in the present case as Ajay
Chautala was not holding the office which was abused by
him. He was holding a different office on the date when
cognizance was taken against him. Therefore, I do not find any
force in the contention of the accused that the prosecution is
bad for the want of prior sanction," the court said.
The charge sheet against Chautala was filed on December
24, 2009.
PTI
