Accepting the prosecution plea, Judicial Magistrate (Class I) KS Sullar directed the VB sleuths to produce the accused once again before the court on March 9.

Earlier, the public prosecutor submitted before the court that Sekhri was allegedly involved in the scam pertaining to the construction of septic tanks in Punjab, which involved alleged embezzlement of crores of rupees. On February 16, the VB had registered an FIR to probe the collapse of 67 per cent of septic tanks in 158 villages across Punjab.

The FIR was registered on the direction of Punjab and Haryana High Court after a committee formed by it under a retired district and sessions judge observed reasons for the failure of the septic tanks needed to be probed.

The FIR had named 13 persons, including a serving and a retired IAS officer. Sekhri was arrested in a FIR lodged under sections 420, 120-B and 201 of the IPC and sections 13 (1) (D) and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, lodged at VB Flying Squad-I police station here.