Ex-Union Minister PK Thungon convicted in ’93-94 graft case

Former Union minister PK Thungon, who is in jail in a graft case, was on Wednesday convicted by a Delhi court for his alleged role in a scam relating to allotment of government shops here during 1993-94.

Special CBI Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal, however, acquitted two other accused in the case – Lhakpa Tsering and Krishna – who were facing trial in this case along with Thungon, then Urban Affairs and Employment Minister Sheila Kaul, and one Tulsi Balodi. Proceedings against Kaul and Balodi were abated after the court was informed that they died during the pendency of trial.

The court, which will hear arguments on sentence on Thursday, held Thungon guilty of offences under Section 120B of IPC with Sections 13d(iii)(if while holding office as a public servant, obtains for any person any valuable thing or pecuniary advantage without any public interest) and other provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act. Thungon was, in July 2015, awarded 4-and-a-half year jail in a 1998 graft case relating to misappropriation of central funds. 

The CBI filed a case against Kaul, Thungon, Tsering, Krishna and Balodi in 1996 for allegedly hatching a conspiracy in allotting shops and stalls in 1994.

According to CBI, the five accused allegedly conspired during September 1993 to June 1994 with the object of dishonestly and fraudulently obtaining undue benefit in the allotment of shops on economical licence fee basis in contravention of rules governing such allotments. CBI had claimed that Kaul and Thungon allegedly committed offence of criminal breach of trust to cause undue pecuniary advantage to their relations and friends, Tsering, Krishna and Balodi and dishonestly allowed these three to convert to their own the government shops entrusted to the minister.