Khot given ultimatum as he continues to evade arrest

Mumbai, May 15 (UNI) Suspended Additional Chief Secretary (general administration) Ashok Khot has been given ultimatum by DGP Dr P S Pasricha that if he does not surrender by this evening, then the law will take its own action.

Mr Khot was also awarded one month simple imprisonment alongwith former Transport minister Surupsingh Naik by the Supreme Court.

Even as the beleaguered senior tribal leader from Nandurbar resigned from the ministry on May 12 and surrenered before the police in the on May 13 and is currently lodged in Thane jail; Mr Khot, who is presumably in New Delhi has so far not surrendered.

DGP Dr P S Pasricha told UNI that last evening Mr Khot, had promised to surrender before the police by this evening.

''I have told him that if he does not surrender by this evening, the law will take its own course of action'', Dr Pasricha added.

For the last three days the media was told that Mr Khot was in New Delhi and his arrest warrant was also issued.

Chief Secretary Dr D K Sankaran had told UNI on Saturday that Mr Khot, one of the very senior bureaucrat was suspended till further orders after Supreme Court's order.

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

Interestingly, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil the blamed the bureaucrat Mr Khot saying that he should have prepared a proper note before submitting it before the minister for its final approval. He should have studied the issue thoroughly before submitting it to the minister, he added.

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