Lower Court convicts Nar Bahadur Bhandari

Gangtok,May 26 (UNI) A lower court today convicted former Sikkim Chief Minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari in a disproportionate asset case.

District and sessions court (East and North) Gangtok, special judge S.W.Lepcha, found Mr Bhandari guilty under section 5 (2) read with 51 (E) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.

The quantum of judgement will be pronounced on Monday next, the judge announced.

CBI had registered the case against Bhandari in 1984 alleging that while holding the office of the Chief Minister from October 1979 to May 1984, he had acquired disproportionate assets.

CBI had filed a chargesheet in 1994 against Bhandari accusing him of acquiring assets in his and his family members' name to the extent of Rs 15.2 lakhs.

The assets, as reported by police, included a five storied building (Primula Cottage) in Gangtok and other household items. The land on which Primula Cottage is situated was allocated to Bhandari by the then ruler of Sikkim when he appealed to him that ''he (Bhandari) was a poor man and has no house to live in''.

Bhandari later gifted the land to his wife and the building was constructed after he became the Chief Minister.

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