Graft charges filed against two former Jharkhand ministers
By IANSMonday, October 5, 2009
RANCHI - The Jharkhand vigilance department Monday formally filed charges against two former ministers Enos Ekka and Harinarayan Rai, who are in jail on graft charges, clearing the way for their trial, officials said.
“The charge-sheet has been filed against both former ministers,” V.K. Pandey, deputy inspector general of police, vigilance department, told IANS.
The charges were filed in the court of Special Vigilance Judge Vinay Kant Khan and now the trial against both former ministers can start.
According to sources in the vigilance department, the revised estimates of the assets of the two ministers reveal that Ekka amassed assets worth Rs 6.67 crore (Rs.66.7 million) and Rai more than Rs 1.63 crore (Rs.16.3 million) beyond their known sources of income. Four officials have been found to have helped the two ministers in amassing these assets.
Earlier, when the department moved the court for arrest warrants, Ekka’s assets were estimated to be more Rs.3.73 crore (Rs.37.3 million) and Rai’s to be Rs.1.16 crore (Rs.11.6 million).
Both Ekka and Rai are in jail since Aug 17. The vigilance court issued arrest warrants against them on June 27 and they surrendered Aug 17, after remaining underground for almost a month and a half. They are at present in judicial custody.
