Naik resigns; likely to surrender for arrest

Mumbai, May 12 (UNI) Beleagured Maharashtra Transport Minister Surupsingh Naik, who was punished with one-month simple imprisonment by the Supreme Court for contempt on Wednesday, tendered his resignation today.

The Chief Minister's office has forwarded the resignation to Governor S M Krishna for acceptance, official sources said.

Mr Naik is learnt to be with Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh at the latter's official residence, discussing his surrender with him, sources added.

Mr Naik and state Additional Chief Secretary Ashok Khot were sentenced to one-month simple imprisonment for violation of the court orders of 1997, which ordered closure of over 100 saw mills operating from the reserve forest area.

Mr Naik was the state Forest Minister and Khot was Principal Forest Secretary in 2004, when they permitted six saw mills to operate from the reserve forest area in the state.

Earlier today, the Supreme Court dismissed their petition, seeking review of the court's order sentencing them.

A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal, Justice Arijit Pasayat and Jutice S H kapadia also dismissed their application seeking suspension of the sentence.

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