A Delhi [Images] court on Monday discharged former Union minister P K Thungon in a disproportionate assets case for want of evidence.

The Central Bureau of Investigations had registered the case nine years ago charging Thungon with possessing assets disproportionate to his source of income.

The CBI claimed he possessed assets worth Rs 1,08,16,532 between June 1991 and April 1996.

Special Judge Pratibha Rani discharged the claim after the Income Tax department substantiated that Thungon had substantial income during the period.

Emerging from the court with his counsel Gurdial Singh, Thungon said, "I lost the 1996 parliamentary elections because of this case. But now people will realise that these were baseless charges, and I am hopeful of a comeback."

Thungon, in his defence, had claimed that the CBI had filed two contradictory reports against him.

The first report -- prepared after the CBI and the state government experts visited his horticulture orchard, dairy and farm at Bomdilla in Arunachal Pradesh between January 28 and February 6, 1997 -- showed he did not possess any disproportionate assets.

However, the second report supported the CBI's allegations, he said.

Also read:

CBI seeks to prosecute Thungon