New Delhi: The CBI probe into alleged forged
letter of the Prime Minister to External Affairs Minister
reportedly recommending purchase of books by a particular
writer for Indian Missions abroad has hit a stumbling block
with the original document yet to be recovered by the agency.
The CBI has received the fax copy of the letter which
bears forged signatures of the Prime Minister but the original
copy of the document is yet to be recovered by it, agency
sources said.
The letter allegedly received by the External Affairs
Ministry in 2009 was addressed to the Minister SM Krishna and
was forwarded by the PMO to the CBI asking the agency to start
a probe as it was not issued from their end.
The letter asked the MEA to purchase over three thousand
books titled 'Cultural History and Tourism' by Dr Ramesh
Nirmal for Indian Missions abroad. It was later discovered
that the letter was forged.
Following the detection of forgery, the PMO asked CBI
director AP Singh to look into the matter, they said.
Sources said that a case of forgery and cheating has been
registered and entire emphasis is on recovering the original
letter as neither the MEA nor the agency has it.
They said finding the original letter sent to MEA was
important for forensic examination which may reveal crucial
details about the writer.
PTI
First Published: Friday, August 05, 2011, 21:47