New Delhi: Former communications minister Sukhram's punishment for amassing illegal assets worth over Rs 4.25 crore would be pronounced on Wednesday by a Delhi court.
The CBI is seeking the maximum seven-year jail term for the offences committed during Sukhram's stint in the PV Narasimha Rao government.
The octogenarian politician, on the other hand, pleaded before Special CBI Judge VK Maheshwari on Tuesday to take a lenient view due to his "good" track record as a minister.
The court after hearing the arguments on quantum of sentence from the CBI and the Congress leader said it would pronounce its order only on Wednesday.
The Himachal Pradesh leader, from whose houses the CBI seized Rs 3.61 crore in cash 13 years ago, was held guilty by the court on February 20 under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act dealing with criminal misconduct by a public servant.
"The convict was a minister in the Government of India and wealth was collected during his tenure as a public servant. He is liable for the maximum sentence," Special CBI prosecutor Gurdial Singh submitted before the court.
Sukhram, who has spent less than a month in jail in connection with the case, came to court in a black suit and later indicated his plan to challenge the verdict in High Court.
His advocate SP Minocha cited his poor health and old age and said his punishment should be restricted to the period of imprisonment already served by him.
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