A Delhi court has fixed September 30 to consider a CBI report favouring closure of a case lodged against union minister Maneka Gandhi and two others for sanctioning Rs 50 lakh grant to a trust allegedly in a “fraudulent” manner in 2001.
CBI has sought closure of the case for the second time, saying that despite conducting further probe as per a direction given by a court, which had not accepted its closure report filed in December 2008, the allegations levelled against Maneka and two others could not be substantiated.
Senior BJP leader Maneka Gandhi is now the Women and Child Development Minister.
An FIR was lodged by CBI in 2006 against Maneka Gandhi, Dr F U Siddiqui, former secretary of Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) and Dr Vijay Sharma, former Managing Trustee of Gandhi Rural Welfare Trust (GRWT).
The FIR alleged that Maneka, in conspiracy with Siddiqui, had sanctioned a grant of Rs 50 lakh to GRWT from MAEF in an irregular manner to construct a nursing college building at Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh and caused undue favour to Sharma.
CBI alleged that further an amount of Rs 10.40 lakh was sanctioned to GRWT by S K Verma, the then District Magistrate of Pilibhit, from Maneka’s MPLADS funds for purchase of two ambulances and the fund was released to Ramakant Rampal, the Managing Trustee of GRWT.
It had alleged that Rampal had purchased two jeeps which had cost much less than the approved models and failed to get them certified by the chief medical officer. The vehicles were also used for personal works by the managing trustee.
However, the agency again filed a closure report, saying “during the course of further investigation, the allegations levelled against Maneka Gandhi, Dr F U Siddiqui and Dr Vijay Sharma could not be substantiated.”
“It is, therefore, prayed that the closure report dated December 30, 2008, collectively read with this report, may kindly be accepted,” it said.
The FIR in the case was lodged for the alleged offences under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with section 420 (cheating) of the IPC and under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
