Bank scam: Akbar says Police demanded narco test in first challan

Raipur, July 24, 2013

Congress MLA Mohammad Akbar on Wednesday said the police too had demanded narco test of Umesh Sinha - main accused in Indira Priyadarshini Bank scam while producing its first challan in court April 12, 2007. “But in its second challan produced in the court on May 2009, the police did not mention anything about narco test,” he added while talking to scribes at Congress Bhawan.

“On court’s directive, Sinha’s narco test was conducted in Ahmedabad, but the forensic expert could not get anticipated result. Then, his second narco test was conducted in Bangalore by forensic expert Dr Malini Muralidhar,” Akbar said.

He further said the government’s claim that Karnataka government sacked Muralidhar after Sinha’s narco test was false as the High Court, in its April 13, 2013 directive, reinstated her.

He pointed that the police had not yet done joint interrogation of Sinha and bank’s former president Rita Tiwari. “Similarly, there should be joint interrogation of other 13 accused too,” he said.

Baghel dares CM: If CD is fake, sue me

PCC programme coordinator Bhupesh Baghel, on the other hand, challenged chief minister Raman Singh and four other ministers to file defamation suit against him if Sinha’s narco test CD was fake.

“If the CD, which I made public recently, is fake then the CM and four ministers are free to sue me. They should also bring forth the original CD. Once the CM had said nobody can challenge him. Now, I am challenging him to sue me if I am wrong,” said Baghel.

He said the BJP government lost public trust after narco test CD proved that CM and four ministers took kickbacks to prevent action against persons involved in bank scam.

He said since narco test was conducted on court’s directives, the government should submit it to the court forthwith. “Let the court decide in which category of evidence the narco test CD should be put and whether it is sufficient proof or not. The police or investigating officer cannot speak court’s language,” he said.

He reiterated his party’s demand of transparent probe into bank scam by an independent agency like CBI.