Srinagar, Feb 8: The regular inquiry initiated by the State Accountability Commission (SAC) in an alleged corruption case against the former Health Minister Suman Lata Baghat has taken a new twist. The complainant in the case has claimed before the anti-graft body that he is getting death threats to withdraw the case, prompting the Commission to direct Baghat’s counsel to produce her in person before it on next date of hearing.
 The two-member bench of SAC comprising Justice Y P Nargotra and Justice Hakim Imtiyaz Hussain Thursday directed the counsel appearing for Baghat to produce the respondent in person on the next date of hearing scheduled for February 14, in the wake of ‘serious’ allegations by the complainant.
 The complainant, Vivek Bharati, according to the order passed by SAC, had filed an application before the Commission that he was getting death threats from some unknown persons to withdraw the case. The complainant had alleged that death threats were issued to him at the behest of Baghat.
 “The complainant has filed an application in which he has stated that threats to his life are being extended by some unknown persons to him on behalf of the respondent asking him to withdraw the case. In view of this, it would be appropriate to seek personnel appearance of the respondent,” the order reads.
 The development comes two months after the Commission had started regular proceedings against Baghat for creating immovable assets through a trust which was meant to serve the weaker sections of society.
 On December 28, last year, the SAC had started inquiry against Baghat for allegedly owning property disproportionate to her known sources of income and misusing her official position.
 After conducting the preliminary inquiry, the Commission had said; “We find the allegations prima facie substantiated against the respondent, justifying a regular inquiry in terms of Section 13 of the J&K Accountability Commission Act.”

Lastupdate on : Fri, 8 Feb 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 8 Feb 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 9 Feb 2013 00:00:00 IST