By IANS
New Delhi : A city court Wednesday framed charges against former union minister P.K. Thungan and three others for their alleged role in corruption in an irrigation project in Nagaland.
Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge I.K. Kochar said the charges pertaining to corruption, forgery and cheating be framed against the former minister and three other co-accused.
Thungan, who served as minister of state for urban affairs and employment, had connived with officials of the irrigation and flood control department of Nagaland while placing a bogus order worth Rs.3 million for buying a sausage wire for a project during 1993-94, the CBI had alleged.
While no supplies were made to the department, payments were made against bogus delivery slips, the agency alleged.
After charging the four people under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the court fixed the matter to Jan 10 for recording of prosecution evidence.
Besides Thungan, the charges were framed against contractors Tali AO, C. Sangit and businessman Mahesh Maheshwari.
The order was given to Tali, who allegedly produced a bogus bill of Rs.3 million and got a demand draft issued in favour of a non-existing person, Thanu Thungan, a name assumed by Maheshwari for the fraud, the CBI said.