Khot declared ''proclaimed offender''

Mumbai, May 17 (UNI) Suspended additional chief secretary (general administration) Ashok khot has been declared as an ''proclaimed offender''.

City police commissioner A N Roy told UNI that since Khot has not yet been traced, he has been declared as a proclaimed offender in the chief metropolitan magistrate's court today.

Mr Roy said that Khot had contacted the Malabar Hill police on May 15 and had also faxed a message to the police saying he would be surrendering within a day or two. But, he has not surrendered yet.

''We believe he must be in New Delhi. After being declared as a proclaimed offender now, a search will take place across the country,'' Mr Roy said.

Earlier, Director General of Police Dr P S Pasricha had also stated that Khot had contacted him and said he would soon surrender.

Khot, along with former Maharashtra Transport Minister Surupsingh Naik, were sentenced to serve a month's simple imprisonment by the Supreme Court for contempt of court on May 10.

Naik had surendered to the police on May 13, but later was admitted to the J J Hospital yesterday after he complained of high blood pressure. Khot, however, has evaded arrest so far.

Naik and Khot were sentenced to a month's simple imprisonment for violating Supreme Court orders of 1997 which had directed closure of over 100 saw mills operating from the reserved forest areas. Naik, who was the State Forest Minister in 2004, and Khot who was the Principal Forest Secretary, had, however, allowed six saw mills to operate in violation of the apex court's orders.

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil had informed that the Mumbai police had begun the process of declaring suspended bureaucrat Ashok Khot as an ''absconder''.

Mr Patil told reporters that a city police team is in Delhi to look for Khot. ''He should surrender. But, if he is not found, he will be declared an absconder and even his property will be attached,'' Mr Patil had said.

UNI JM-MR MAZ VD HS1940