Shops allotment scam:Court gives 2-yr jail to ex-govt official

New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) Former Urban Development MinisterSheila Kaul’s additional private secretary was today sentencedto two years imprisonment by a special court for his role in ascam relating to allotment of government shops here between1991 and 1994. While awarding jail term to 67-year-old Rajan S Lala inthe 20-year old case, the court held that his job was to giveadvice to Kaul and not to extract unwarranted favours from herin conspiracy with her. "In this case, convict Lala was a constant companion ofaccused 1 (Shiela Kaul), who was UD Minister, being heradditional private secretary. His job was to render ableadvice to her, not to extract unwarranted favours from her inconspiracy with her, flouting all the established norms/rules," Special CBI Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal said. The court, which imposed a fine of Rs 75,000 on Lala,also granted him bail on furnishing of personal bond of Rs50,000 to enable him file an appeal against the verdict. The former government officer was held guilty foroffences of criminal conspiracy under IPC and criminalmisconduct under Prevention of Corruption Act. The court has held that there was a "clear cutconspiracy" between Lala and Kaul, her then additional privatesecretary D D Arora and assistant private secretary S L Yadav.Kaul, Arora and Yadav have died and the proceedings againstthem abated. The court, in its order on sentence, observed "let thisbe not forgotten that we people of India are the Government…. The ultimate rulers in democracy are not Parliamentariansor Ministers or government servants, but the people of thiscountry, who have right to demand a just government whichnourishes them with love and affection of a mother…" Lala sought leniency in sentencing on the ground that hewas suffering from various ailments and required constantmonitoring of vital parameters. CBI, however, said deterrent punishment be awarded to theconvict so that a strong message should go to the society thatthose in high places should exercise their power in areasonable manner. The court said the four public servants had abused theirofficial position in allotting the shops which led topecuniary advantage in favour of other accused persons in"blatant violation" of all norms. (More) PTI SKVARC