Buta`s son arrested in bribery case, alleges conspiracy

Mumbai/New Delhi, July 31 (PTI) Former Union Home
Minister Buta Singh' son Sarobjit Singh was arrested by
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Friday in a bribery case
triggering calls for his resignation as Chairman of National
Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) who claimed the action
was a "conspiracy to kill his political future."

Buta Singh ruled out his resignation while the Congress
with which he was associated for several decades said it was
for the Government to decide on his continuance. He was
expelled by the Congress after he contested the recent Lok
Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament) elections as a rebel
candidate.

Sarobjit alias Sweety was produced before a CBI court in
Mumbai, a day after he was detained for allegedly demanding a
bribe of Rs three crore from a Nashik-based municipal
contractor Ramarao Patil as payments "to excercise influence
on public servants" for not registering a case under the
prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Caste and Scheduled
Tribe Act and referring the same to CBI.

Three others have also been arrested by the agency
including Anup Begi, the middleman and two hawala operators
who were working for Sarobjit, a CBI spokesperson said in New
Delhi. Patil had made the complaint to its Mumbai office on
July 18 against two persons who demanded the bribe.

CBI sources said the complaint was made against Begi and
Sarabjot Singh.

An embarassed Buta Singh said in Delhi the "latest attack
(by CBI) is an attempt to kill my whole political life and my
political future." Asked who are behind it, he said "these are
political forces" but refused to name them.

At a press conference in Mumbai, Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) spokesman Prakash Javdekar said Buta Singh must resign
and if he doesn't, he should be sacked immediately.

Coming out strongly in defence of his son who was accused
of demanding the bribe to close the case against Patil in the
National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), Singh said,
"My son did not see or touch or the money."

Asked what steps he would do to bail out his son, Singh
remarked, "I will not beg from the government." He, however,
added that he will not accept the argument that his son was
guilty and added, "I will fight for him".

To repeated questions whether he will resign on moral
grounds, Buta Singh said, "The question for it does not arise
because I have not committed any such thing... I don't claim
to be a great moralist... Why should I quit? "

On whether he would resign if the charges against his son
are proved, he shot back, "Why should I pre-suppose? My
judgement is right...(If I resign) I will be giving into the
(design of) a top criminal of the country."

A CBI official said the final amount was settled for Rs
one crore for which the middleman met the complainant on July
29 at a hotel in Chembur in Mumbai.

"He collected the illegal gratification and informed on
the telephone to the main accused who then asked him to reach
Mumbai Central and call a particular number and should tell
the hawala operator that Patel had sent the money," he said.

Sarobjit was picked up from Delhi on Thursday and was
brought to Mumbai where he was questioned the whole night by
the Anti Corruption Bureau of the CBI after which he was
placed under arrest.

During his questioning, Sweety was confronted with
telephone calls that he allegedly made to Patil.

Patil had allegedly taken a loan of around Rs 10 crore
from a cooperative society on behalf of over 100 persons
from the Dalit community. He allegedly pocketed the money
following which a case was registered against him. PTI