New Delhi, Nov 23: CBI has sought the permission of a special court here to close a case alleging illegal sale of priority gas quota coupons by certain members of Parliament in conspiracy with a Syndicate Bank employee. The case against K Peria Swamy, a clerk with the Syndicate Bank here, was registered in June 1999 following a complaint that between 1991 and September 1997, certain MPs conspired with him to allot the coupons (for Lpg connections) to some persons in Tamil Nadu on payment of premium ranging between Rs 4,000 and Rs 7,000.
They allegedly concealed the fact that the allottees were not required to pay at all for the coupons and collected crores of rupees from the allottees, which was deposited in the name of Peria Swamy and others in Delhi.
However, investigations failed to bring out any evidence against the MPs, CBI said and added there was also nothing to show that they acted with a corrupt motive.
The facility of the coupons for MPs was introduced in 1993 by the then Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Capt Satish Sharma.
LPG distributors of IOC, BPCL and HP were required to honour the vouchers anywhere in the country close to residence of allottee for a single barrel LPG connection for domestic use. The only fee required to be paid was security amount for cylinder and regulator.
While allotting the coupons, the members were to sign them and return counterfoils to the ministry at the Returning Counter in Parliament House.
Bureau Report