Ex-union minister Sukhram convicted of corruption

New Delhi: A city court on Friday convicted former union minister Sukhram of corruption in a 13-year-old disproportionate assets case.

Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Judge V K Maheshwari held Sukhram guilty under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The sentence will be pronounced on February 24.

According to the CBI, Sukhram allegedly amassed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income to the tune of more than Rs 50 lakh between 1991 and 1996.

The CBI registered the case against the minister on August 27, 1996 under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The agency had conducted a raid at the former minister's residences here and in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, in 1996 and recovered Rs 3.62 crore.

This case is an offshoot of a 1996 case relating to telecom equipment supply involving Sukhram, then deputy director-general (lease-financing) of the Department of Telecom (DoT), Runu Ghosh, and Hyderabad-based businessman Pataru Rama Rao.

Following is the chronology of events in the disproportionate assets case against former Union Minister Sukhram:

Aug 16, 1996: CBI recovers Rs 2.45 crore from Sukhram's residences at 12, Safdarjung Lane here and Rs 1.16 crore from Mandi in Himanchal Pradesh during raids.

Aug 27, 1996: CBI registers FIR against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Sep 18, 1996: CBI arrests Sukhram in the case.

Oct 16, 1996: Sukhram gets bail.

Jun 9, 1997: Chargesheet filed.

Jul 10, 2001: Court frames corruption charges.

Oct 30, 2001: Court starts recording evidence.

Nov 6, 2004: Former PM Narsimha Rao records his testimony as a witness in the case.

Apr 13, 2007: Recording of testimony of prosecution witnesses concludes with examination of 64 witnesses.

May 18, 2007: Sukhram answers court queries based on evidence against him.

Jul 20, 2007: Defence starts recording statements of witnesses.

Nov 7, 2008: Sukhram gets 16 witnesses examined in his favour.

Dec 2, 2008: Final arguments start.

Feb 17, 2009: Special CBI Judge V K Maheshwari reserves the verdict on conclusion of final arguments, which were advanced during 11 hearings.

Feb 20, 2009: Court convicts Sukhram in the case and the quantum of punishment will be pronounced on February 24