10 of 52 cars seized are in name of Delhi minister's sons

New Delhi, Aug 2 (UNI) At least ten of the 52 vehicles seized by the CBI during a series of raids on the premises of a Delhi Vidhan Sabha canteen contractor are registered in the name of two sons of a state minister.

Raids have also led to the revelation that contractor Ashok Malhotra owned a farm house and at least four residential properties, including one in North Delhi's Model Town, sources in the CBI said.

''At least ten of the vehicles found at Malhotra's premises, bearing VIP numbers, are in the name of two sons of a Delhi cabinet minister. Besides 52 luxury cars, five high-end motorcycles were also found at his premises.'' The agency was also taking the help of the Income Tax department to ascertain the income sources of Malhotra, his tax sheet, whether he paid duties on the cars and other details, sources added.

Also, a senior official said Malhotra was today summoned by the CBI for interrogation but could not confirm whether he actually appeared or not while stressing that the accused was ''not absconding''.

Meanwhile, the CBI continued with its raids at Malhotra's premises for the second consecutive day to dig out more details on the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land allotment scam.

''The search at Ashok Malhotra's place continues for the second day after the night-long operation,'' said a senior official of the CBI while refusing to divulge further details.

Yesterday's raids at the premises of Malhotra, a canteen operator at the Delhi Assembly, led to the startling 'recovery' of over 50 luxury cars bearing VIP numbers and documents of hundreds of plots of the DDA.

Details on money and jewellery seized have not been disclosed as the CBI was seeking information from the investigation cell of the Income Tax department.

Sources said Malhotra's involvement in the DDA plots allotment scam was mainly due to his high political contacts and his name cropped up during the CBI's investigation into the slum area allotment of land scam, where he is learnt to have allegedly mediated.

The FIR into the case was registered on July 26 last in which the names of two deputy directors of the DDA, an assistant director, an assistant engineer and a civil engineer of the DDA, along with that of Ashok Malhotra have been mentioned.

UNI