MTNL official charged for corruption

NEW DELHI: A CBI court here has framed charges of corruption against a senior official of state-owned Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) for allegedly possessing disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 83 lakh.

"In view of the material gathered, there is prima facie sufficient material to frame charge against the accused for offence punishable ... (under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act)," special Judge I K Kochhar said in an order on Monday.

Relying on prima facie evidence against accused Sarup Singh, the Section Supervisor in the office of General Manager of MTNL, the judge said that he had failed to explain the source of income in the acquisition of the assets, as spelt out in the chargesheet against him.

CBI had registered against a case against Singh, an employee of MTNL since 1978, after conducting searches at his house and other properties and claimed that he was found in possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income to the tune of Rs 83 lakh.

The prosecution had also produced a number of witnesses who supported the CBI's case proving various sale deeds and financial transactions with the accused.