Congress leader Jagdish Tytler and jailed arms dealer Abhishek Verma were today chargesheeted by CBI for allegedly forging letterhead of then Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken in 2009.
Although the agency had not named Tytler as accused in its FIR, it included his name in the charge sheet filed in the CBI special court alleging that the "forgery was done with active connivance" of the Congress leader with Verma.
"The forged letter was given to a China-based telecom firm with the purpose of wrongfull assuring them of visa extension in India. Verma had allegedly demanded one million dollars from the firm showing the letter but the money did not exchange hands," a CBI official privy to investigation said.
Acting on the complaint of Maken, CBI had registered a case against Verma last year under section 469 of the IPC which relates to forgery for purpose of harming reputation.
Tytler denied allegations against him saying, "This is all rubbish. I have just came to know about it. There is no truth in it," he said.
When asked about the allegations that he actively connived in the forgery, Tytler told PTI, "How? I do not know what they are saying. This complaint is by Ajay Maken? He wants to get me.... This is the election time...."
The agency has also slapped charges for violation of Information Technology Act and Prevention of Corruption Act, they said.
During the course of its investigation, CBI claimed to have found that Tytler was allegedly actively involved in the forgery of the letter, written on letter head of Makan, which was purportedly addressed to the Prime Minister for easing visa norms for a Chinese telecom firm in 2009.
Verma and his wife were arrested on June 8 last year in the corruption case for allegedly receiving money from a Swiss firm to stall its blacklisting proceedings by Indian government. This was followed by registration of the forgery case. They are at present in judicial custody.
