NEW DELHI, Nov 24 � The trial of the Congress leader Ripun Bora bribery case started on Thursday, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the case producing two witnesses.
The bribery case that cost Ripun Bora his job and political career would be keenly watched. The trial of the case has begun in the CBI Special Court at Saket in South Delhi. Ripun Bora and Ramesh Maheswari were present in the court, while Mukul Pathak was absent.
An advocate who represented one of the accused told this newspaper that the CBI produced two of its witnesses in the case. They were identified as Binoy Seal Gautam and Manoj Shukla, both employees of the Jukaso Inn, where the alleged bribery incident took place on June 3, 2008. The hearing is likely to continue tomorrow also.
Bora, who had cried political conspiracy, was arrested for allegedly trying to bribe the investigation agency officials with Rs 10 lakh. His businessman friend Ramesh Maheswari and journalist Mukul Pathak were charged by the CBI for aiding Bora in paying the bribe to the investigation officer A B Gupta, who has since passed away.
The Former State Education Minister along with Maheswari and Pathak managed to secure bail after spending over two months in Tihar Jail
Bora was under CBI investigation for his alleged role in the murder case of Daniel Topno in 2000. Topno was killed in an attack at Chatrang on September 27, 2000. Soon after the killing, Ripun Bora was named as a probable culprit.