DDA official sent to judicial custody in bribery case

New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) A DDA official, arrested for allegedly demanding and accepting bribe to clear files in his department, has been sent to judicial custody for two weeks by a special court here.

Special judge Sunil Rana sent accused Ram Karan, who was working as a clerk in the Lease Administration Branch of the Delhi Development Authority, to jail till August 29 after the CBI said he may tamper with the ongoing investigation.

Prosecution prosecutor Amit Kumar sought 14-day judicial custody for Karan and told the court that the probe was at an initial stage, important witnesses were yet be examined and incriminating documents yet to be collected.

He also told the court that his voice sample was to be sent for expert opinion.

“If the accused is released on bail at this juncture, he may influence the witnesses and may tamper with the evidence,” he said.

The case was registered on July 29 on the basis of a written complaint by one Nivesh Kumar who was asked to pay a bribe of Rs 12,500 in lieu of clearing a file.

Thereafter, a trap was laid on July 29 and Karan, Upper Division Clerk in DDA’s Lease Administration Branch, was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe of Rs 15,000 from Kumar.