Bribery case: CBI to question Buta Singh today

The CBI will question Chairman of the National Commission for SCs/STs and former union minister Buta Singh on Monday in connection with the Rs 1-crore bibery scam involving his son Sarobjit.

According to CBI sources, Singh's statement would be recorded in connection with the corruption case which led to the arrest of his son Sarobjit Singh, alias Sweety, on July 31.

The CBI arrested Sarobjit for allegedly demanding Rs 1 crore as bribe from a Nasik-based contractor Ramrao Patil to close a case registered against him under the SC/ST Act.

The issue of Buta Singh's possible involvement had also sprung up during the investigation of the case.

This is how the case unfolded:

Former NCP man Ramrao Patil is a Nasik-based contractor who supplies garbage trucks to the municipality. Patil had reportedly taken Rs 10 crore loan from a cooperative society on behalf of several people from the Dalit community in Nasik and later pocketed the money which led to registration of a case against him.

They complained to Congressman Anup Beghe who organised a meeting between the workers and Buta Singh in Nasik.

According to Patil, when he visited Buta Singh's residence, Sarobjit threatened to lodge a case against him under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act unless he paid Rs 1 crore.

"When I met Sweety Singh in Delhi, he made it clear that his father wanted him to deal with me," Patil said.

Patil lodged a complaint with the CBI and then got the money delivered to Beghe. The CBI caught Beghe red-handed while delivering the money to Sarobjit's men and later Sarobjit was also held.

When contacted, Sweety Singh said he was being framed.

"We have some information of a possible Hawala transaction in the case. We have to dig further," said Rishiraj Singh, Joint Director, CBI (Western Region).