Sukhram convicted in 1996 telecom case

Former Telecom Minister Sukhram has been held guilty by a Delhi court of misusing his official position when he was in the P V Narasimha Rao cabinet and giving undue favour to a cable supply company in a 15-year-old case.

Special Central Bureau of Investigation Judge R P Pandey convicted 84-year-old Sukhram under various provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act and section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code and is likely to pronounce the quantum of sentence on Saturday.

"Accused Sukhram has been held guilty of the offences punishable under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC and convicted accordingly," the judge said.

The Himachal Pradesh politician, who is out on bail, has been convicted for the offences which entail a maximum punishment of seven years imprisonment.

The CBI, in its charge sheet filed in 1998, had accused Sukhram and another person of allegedly showing undue favour in supply of excess quantity of cable and acceptance of  Rs three lakh.

In 2009, Sukhram was held guilty of possessing disproportionate assets worth Rs 4.25 crore. In 2002, he was awarded a three-year jail term under the Prevention of Corruption Act in an equipment supply case for causing a loss of Rs 1.66 crore to the state  exchequer.

He had allegedly caused undue benefits to Rama Rao, managing director of Hyderabad-based Advance Radio Masts.