NHAI project director gets 2-year jail, Rs 30 lakh fine

New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) A designated court in Ernakulam (Kerala) has sentenced Bitla Venugopal, former Project Director, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Palakkad, to two years of rigorous imprisonment and also imposed a Rs 30 lakh fine in a case of disproportionate assets."The Central Bureau of Investigtaion (CBI) had registered a case based on the allegations that Venugopal, the NHAI Project Director, in Palakkad from April 1, 2004 to June 8, 2008 had amassed assets disproportionate to his known sources of his income in his and in the name of his family members," said CBI spokesperson. The CBI had filed a chargesheet in the designated court. In another case, the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM), Rouse Avenue Courts, here sentenced Satyapal Singh to four years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 15 lakh. "Out of Rs 15 lakh, Rs 12 lakh shall be paid to the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, New Delhi, as compensation," said CBI spokesperson. The CBI had registered a case against Satyapal on April 19, 2004 on a complaint from the Department of Posts. The accused had defrauded the department Rs 10,29,934. The trial court found the accused guilty and convicted them.
--IANS sak/pcj