CBI seeks dismissal of Thungon’s bail plea in HC

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday opposed in the Delhi High Court a plea by former Union Minister PK Thungon, challenging his conviction and three-and-a half-year jail term in a corruption case relating to the allotment of government shops here in 1993-94.

Supporting the trial court’s decision, the agency told a Bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul that he had misused his official position by indulging in “corruption”.

“The applicant (Thungan) despite being at a responsible position as the minister of state indulged in corruption and caused undue pecuniary loss to the state exchequer...,” the CBI said in their affidavit.

The agency submitted that the accused had extended “huge pecuniary advantage to the other accused” in the case.

CBI’s standing counsel Rajdipa Behura, while filing of the reply on court’s direction said his application for bail deserved to be dismissed.

Thungon, also a former Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, was convicted by the trial court for offences under Section 120-B of the IPC and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The trial court had also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Thungon, who is lodged in the Tihar Jail. It had acquitted two other accused – Lakhpa Tsering and Krishna –in the case.