New Delhi:
A special court today sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar and four others to five days CBI remand.
“It is a historical case in Indian democracy. The accused was a public servant acting as principal secretary and the investigation was fairly conducted. Dignity and purity of public institutions have to be maintained. A pack of lies is being spread in the media that Rajendra Kumar is holding the government like a ‘Seshnag’ and if he goes, all the (Delhi) government will go,” the CBI told the special court.
In Indian mythology, Seshnag is the king of all snakes (or nagas), has numerous hoods and is said to hold all the planets of the universe on his hoods.
The court sent Kumar and four others, arrested in an alleged corruption case, to five-day CBI custody, with the agency also claiming that the “influential” IAS officer was intimidating witnesses.
Besides Kumar, the others remanded were Deputy Secretary in Kejriwal’s office Tarun Sharma, Kumar’s alleged close aide Ashok Kumar and Directors of Endeavour Systems Pvt Ltd (ESPL), Sandeep Kumar and Dinesh Kumar Gupta.
CBI alleged that custodial interrogation of these accused was needed as some incriminating recoveries were likely to be made and during the ongoing probe, a lot of incriminating evidence have been recovered which showed that “undue advantage” was given to ESPL in awarding contracts.
It said the probe into the case was going on and some evidence has surfaced which may lead to offences of forgery and cheating, apart from charges of criminal conspiracy and under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
“The CBI is seeking police remand of 10 days for thorough interrogation and to unearth larger conspiracy in the role of accused persons. Keeping in view the facts and circumstances and submissions made by the parties, I deem it appropriate to grant five days PC remand of the accused persons,” Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar said.
