Police team sent to Delhi to arrest suspended ACS Ashok Khot

Mumbai, May 16 (UNI) The city police today sent its team to New Delhi to arrest suspended Additional Chief Secretary (general administration) Ashok Khot, who was sentenced to one-month imprisonment by the Supreme Court recently.

Khot, along with former Maharashtra Transport Minister Surupsingh Naik, was awarded one-month imprisonment for the contempt of court on May 10.

While Naik surrendered to the police on Saturday and later got admitted to city's J J hospital yesterday from Thane Jain after he complained of high blood pressure -- Khot, who kept on calling DGP Dr P S Pasricha from New Delhi for the last three days that he would surrender soon, so far evaded the arrest.

Yesterday, Khot was given ultimatum by Dr Pasricha that if he would not surrender by this evening, the law will take its own action.

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

When contacted today he said Mumbai police Commissioner was now looking after the case and a team has been sent to New Delhi.

Naik and Khot were sentenced to one-month imprisonment for violation of the Supreme Court orders of 1997, which directed closure of over 100 saw mills operating from the reserved forest area.

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.

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