After investigating the case for more than two years, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has finally got the prosecution sanction from the UT Administration in the multi-crore controversial scam pertaining to certain alleged violations at Fun Republic — the city’s first multiplex.
A prominent city-based businessman and senior Congress leader, the management of Fun Republic and several officials of the UT Administration were booked on charges of Prevention of Corruption Act and criminal conspiracy.
Mahesh Aggarwal, Deputy Inspector General, CBI, confirmed, “We’ve got the prosecution sanction and shall be proceeding further. Further details cannot be divulged at this stage.”
In April, Congress leader Kewal Dhillon was granted anticipatory bail in the Fun Republic scam. Dhillon had moved the CBI court apprehending arrest after the investigating agency prepared a detailed chargesheet against all the five scam-accused.
The CBI had sought sanction to prosecute three UT Administration officials — Sub-Divisional Officer T P Singh, Assistant Engineer Sandeep Sharma and Office Superintendent Brij Mohan.
Dhillon, however, had earlier clarified that he had nothing to do with Fun Republic, as his company Dhillon Brothers Pvt Ltd, had already leased out the entire Dhillon Complex to Zee TV group on May 26, 2000, for 25 years and was only receiving lease rentals.
After getting prosecution sanction, the CBI is expected to file the chargesheet in the coming week in the court of the Special Judge, CBI, Chandigarh.
The CBI began investigating the alleged nexus between the officials of UT Estate Office building branch and Fun Republic in 2007, after a four-member team of Municipal Corporation listed a series of violations on almost all the floors of the multiplex.
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