Two chargesheeted in Gavit-Bhati channel 'expose'

New Delhi, Jan 13 (UNI) The CBI today filed a chargesheet against two persons for impersonating as a union minister, conversing with an incarcerated criminal, in a so-called 'expose' carried out by a news channel.

The chargesheet for criminal conspiracy and cheating through impersonation by posing as Union Minister of State for Home Manikrao H Gavit was filed against Krishan Kumar and Vinod Kumar in the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Sanjay Jain here.

Accepting the chargesheet, the court fixed the next date for hearing on February two.

The CBI had registered the case on August 25 last year on the basis of a preliminary enquiry conducted following a television 'expose' titled 'Mantri, Mobile aur Mafia' -- telecast on August 13, 2006 showing a conversation allegedly between Mr Gavit and gangster Sunder Singh Bhati lodged in Bulandshahar jail.

Audio, video CD and voice samples, sent to the CFSL, revealed that the voice in them did not match that of Mr Gavit.

After the August 25 arrest of Krishan Kumar with four mobile phones and three SIM cards by the Delhi Police the accused disclosed that he had impersonated Mr Gavit and sought favours from several people including public servants.

He also said he had held a conversation with Bhati in order to recover money owed to him by one Ajay Kumar alias Sanju and Omkar Singh Yadav of Baghpat.

Krishan Kumar further disclosed that Shanti Nagar Extension resident Vinod Kumar had acted as his accomplice in the 'tapes' impersonating as the personal assistant to the Minister.

Investigations revealed that 86 calls were exchanged between Krishan Kumar and Sunder Singh Bhati from May 12 to August 1, 2006, while another 41 calls were made between them between May 31 and July 3, 2006.

Bhati also admitted to knowing Krishan Kumar who approached him for the recovery of Rs ten lakh from Ajay Kumar alias Sanju and Omkar Singh Yadav of Bhagpat as both of them owed him (Krishan Kumar) the amount as his share of commission in a land deal arranged for one R P Malik.

UNI