Sagar has stated that Asa Nand was placed under suspension by him and not by the UT Home Secretary Anuradha Gupta. ``I had personally called Mr Asa Nand and warned him about a month ago, before suspending him much later,'' the release states. ``It has been deliberately projected that he has been suspended by the Home Secretary, who has no power to do so.''

The Adviser has reiterated that Asa Nand was ``placed under suspension for serious lapses and a series of acts aimed at helping the accused in an investigation being carried out in (the) Vigilance Cell, and that the administration had come to the conclusion that he had been won over by the accused who are moneyed and influential.''

However, the press release does not corroborate this allegation either with additional information or any evidence.

The Adviser has further stated that he ``had given instructions a couple of months ago, during discussions with Mr Asa Nand as well as the Home Secretary, that in future, arrests of (the) accused working in the Engineering Department should be kept to the minimum. Since otherwise the whole Department, which executes most of the important developmental works of the Administration, would come to a standstill''.

Sagar has also referred to the evidence gathered in the Jerath case to prosecute the accused and stated that ``the officer concerned has actually admitted that certain evidence on record had escaped his notice''.

The Adviser claims in the press release that Asa Nand ``had sought the handcuffing of Mr Jerath and made him sit on a bench, contrary to directions, in order to help the accused to revive his allegation of personal vendetta by the Home Secretary in the interest of his defence''.

Sagar has justified placing of some telephones under observation ``more so in respect of (the) accused who were absconding'' and stated that the ``Administration has not used its powers to order any tapping of telephones''.