Former Union finance secretary Sandhu remanded in three-day police custody in Jaipur

JAIPUR: A day after former Union finance secretary GS Sandhu surrendered in a land scam case, a special ACB court in the city remanded him in police custody till May 16 on Friday.
After conducting a medical examination on him, the ACB brought him to the agency’s headquarters from Jaipur Central Jail where he was lodged since Thursday. ACB officials said that Sandhu is being quizzed primarily on two points – one: a missing urban development and housing (UDH) file pertaining to 2005, and second – his connection with co-accused in the case including RAS officer Onkar Mal who is absconding since he was booked in the case in October last year.
Special public prosecutor for the ACB BS Chauhan said that the agency filed an application seeking his remand.The application came up for hearing around 10 am. “After hearing arguments from the defence lawyers as well as the ACB, the court of sessions judge Baljeet Singh granted ACB three-day remand of the ex-bureaucrat,” said Chauhan.
The defence lawyers argued that the ACB has already quizzed Sandhu twice after he made himself available for interrogation voluntarily, so there was no need for further police remand.
The ACB had sought a police remand of five days, but the court granted the agency three-day remand.
The ACB has filed 2200-page chargesheet after arresting RAS officer Nishkam Diwakar and a builder Shailendra Garg.
Sandhu had been evading arrest since he was booked in the Rs 300-crore land scam case in October last year. After ignoring several ACB summons for interrogation, Sandhu had secured anticipatory bail from the Supreme Court on March 18. The apex court, however, dismissed the bail on Monday, leaving the ex-bureaucrat out of any options other than surrendering before the ACB.
It is alleged that Sandhu as additional chief secretary of the state’s urban development and housing department had connived with JDA officials and transferred a society deed of a land measuring 40,000 square yards to a builder against norms in 2011. Former UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal has also been interrogated by the agency in connection with this case.
The ACB had registered a complaint in the matter in 2013. RTI activist Ramsharan had lodged the complaint alleging that Sandhu acted arbitrarily and in connivance with JDA officials, he granted a single title deed of 28-bigha land worth nearly Rs 300 crore as per the current market value to one Ganpati Constructions at throwaway prices. The land was owned by Rajendra Nagar Housing Society.