CBI to close graft case against Satish Sharma

new delhi: cbi has decided to close a case of corruption against former union minister and senior congress leader capt satish sharma for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. "we have been forced to recommend closure of the case as we could not get vital information from the us where the banks destroy their records after seven years," cbi sources.the probe agency had registered the case against sharma on march 8, 1999 on the allegation that he received foreign remittances worth over rs 55.60 lakh between 1986 and 1991 from his brother girish kumar sharma. cbi had raised questions about the genuineness of the said transactions and alleged that the remittances were sent by capt sharma to the us through unauthorised channels and received back in the shape of gifts. during the period capt sharma was a rajya sabha mp. in the course of investigation, the statements of girish kumar sharma and his wife sarita (both us citizens) were also recorded in georgia but "they refused to disclose anything during their examination taking privilege under 5th amendment to the us constitution, which gives them protection to keep silence," the sources said. capt sharma had declared the remittances received from the us in his income during the relevant period, they said. cbi decided to close the case as it failed to establish that the money received by capt sharma was his own, sent to him by his brother camouflaged as gift, they said.