No objection in making Dahuja approver: CBI
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 26
The Special CBI Court has directed accused Sanjay Dahuja, owner of Berkeley Automobiles, to appear before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate for recording his statement on February 29 as the CBI has no objection in making him an approver in Rs 70 lakh corruption case.
On January 7, 2020, Dahuja had filed an application in the Special CBI Court to become an approver in lieu of pardon, as he wanted to disclose complete and true facts before the court. Following the application, the court issued a notice to the CBI and sought its reply.
In the reply, KP Singh, Public Prosecutor, CBI, submitted: “The CBI has no objection for making Dahuja an approver and pardon may be granted to him, but first his statement under Section 164 of the CrPC may be recorded before the magistrate containing true and complete facts mentioning incriminating facts against him and other accused persons.”
The court, then, directed Dahuja to appear before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate on February 29 to record his statement.
Dahuja is facing charges in a corruption case of Rs 70 lakh along with another businessman Aman Grover, the then DSP of EOW RC Meena, and Sub-Inspector Surinder Kumar (now deceased).
Meena, now retired, was arrested on August 13, 2015, by the CBI in a bribery case along with EOW SI Surinder Kumar, Sanjay Dahuja, who owns a dealership of Hyundai Motors in Chandigarh and Panchkula, and Aman Grover, owner of KLG Hotel, for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 70 lakh (Rs 40 lakh in cash and Rs 30 lakh in post-dated cheques).
According to the CBI, the accused had hatched a conspiracy to obtain gratification from complainant Guneet Kaur, a resident of sector 9, Chandigarh, for not arresting her parents and brother in an FIR dated December 26, 2014, registered against her parents. On August 11, 2015, Meena and Surinder demanded Rs 75 lakh through Grover and Dahuja, which was on August 12, 2015, reduced to Rs 70 lakh.
Dahuja allegedly fixed a meeting between Meena and Grover (son-in law of Deepa Duggal) wherein they demanded a bribe.
In her complaint, Guneet Kaur had alleged that Deepa Duggal, a resident of Sector 9, got an FIR registered in December 2014 against her parents and brother with EOW, UT Chandigarh.
The CBI had arrested the four accused under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and Sections 7 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) and 13 (1) (d) read with 13 (2) (both pertaining to criminal misconduct of a public servant) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
