Speaker’s Secy owned properties worth crores

PTI

New Delhi, 02 Sep 2011: Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar’s secretary A P Pathak was today removed from his post shortly after CBI searched his premises in an alleged disproportionate assets case during which the agency claimed to have recovered documents of properties worth crores of rupees.

 

"A P Pathak has been removed with immediate effect from the Hon’ble Speaker’s office," Kumar’s media advisor Rakhee Bakshee said in a statement.

 

The complaint against Pathak was referred to CBI from Central Vigilance Commission when he was posted as Director, COFEPOSA in the Ministry of Finance, New Delhi in 2010.

 

After registering a case against Pathak under Prevention of Corruption Act in a special court, teams of CBI officials carried out searches at his premises in Kanpur, Patna, Gurgaon and Delhi, the CBI said.

 

"Two properties in Anand Niketan/Satya Niketan and one property at Dwarka, New Delhi, three properties at Patna, one property at Kanpur, one property at Gurgaon and seven agriculture properties in UP and Bihar were unearthed," a CBI spokesperson said.

 

"Searches have also yielded fixed deposits worth Rs 35 lakhs, 10 Life Insurance Policies, 33 bank accounts, five credit cards and other incriminating documents," the spokesperson said in a statement.

 

Bakshee said Pathak had joined the office of the Speaker "after due clearance" from his parent Ministry of Road Transport and Highways three months back in June, 2011.

 

Pathak was not seen in Parliament House today and the name plate on the chamber, near the Speaker’s office, was removed soon after news came that a CBI team had carried out searches at his residences.