Former government official gets two-year jail in DA case

A former senior government officer, working with Sail, has been awarded two-year jail term for amassing disproportionate assets by a special court which said economic offences should be dealt with sternly.

Special judge Vrinda Kumari awarded the jail term to former senior deputy director (quality) of the Steel Authority of India Ltd (Sail), Madan Mohan Singh, besides handing down a year’s jail term to his brother Sharat Chandra Singh for amassing disproportionate assets worth Rs 58,79,153, which was 114.88 per cent of their known income.

“A high standard of conduct is expected from a public servant. The economic offences, including the ones involving disproportionate assets, are required to be dealt with sternly. In the facts and circumstances of the case, M.M. Singh is sentenced to rigorous imprisonment (RI) of two years and fine of Rs 50,000... Convict S.C. Singh is sentenced to RI of one year and fine of Rs 25,000,” the court said while awarding punishment under sections of Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court also ordered that an equivalent amount of the disproportionate assets, either in the names of the convicts or in the names of their family members, be confiscated.

The CBI had filed its charge sheet against M.M. Singh, his late father Radheshwar Prasad Singh and brother.

The case was registered at the time when Madan, who was then working as senior deputy director (quality) in Sail’s corporate office here.

During that period, accused had amassed disproportionate assets movable and immovable in the shape of cars, FDRs, cash, plots, flats and house in his name or in the name of his family members relatives worth over Rs 98 lakh during January 1990 to December 1995, the agency had alleged.