12-05-2005, 12:53 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Swathed in blankets, Matherani whisked away
Pioneer.com
Pramod Kumar Singh/ New Delhi
Where is Aniel Matherani? This is one question the central agencies have refused to answer ever since an Austrian Air flight with Mr Matherani on board touched down at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport at 10.40pm on Friday. Â
As Mr Matherani alighted from the aircraft, he was whisked away to an undisclosed place by some central agencies and their undercover operatives who were waiting for him at the tarmac. This was an obvious move by the Centre to keep him away from the prying eyes of the media.
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Eyewitnesses at the airport said that the way Mr Matherani was taken into custody by unknown elements had the stamp of a clock-and-dagger mafia operation. He was swathed in blankets and forced into a car escorted by tough-looking guys. But the drama had just begun. Officers of the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB), a wing of Intelligence Bureau (IB) who were waiting for Mr Matherani at the airport went wild when they discovered that he had not crossed the immigration check. It took some time for them to realise that their 'bird' had been flown away.</span>
<b>Reports said that 'unidentified' officials first took Mr Matherani to a place in South Delhi. He was reportedly asked to clarify certain issues raised by the ED officials after which another central agency took over.</b>
<span style='font-size:17pt;line-height:100%'>There were considerable speculations that Mr Matherani was under pressure to retract his controversial interview in which he had claimed that the Saddam regime had issued oil vouchers to Natwar Singh and the Congress Party.</span> Reports said that the Enforcement Directorate was interrogating Mr Matherani, but there was no official confirmation about this.
Late at night, NDTV issued a statement purportedly quoting Mr Matherani that he was not speaking to the media because of "malicious violation of his privacy." He blamed a news magazine (India Today) and a TV channel (Aaj Tak) for distorting an off-the record conversation and putting it as an interview.
Group Editor India Today Prabhu Chawla, however, denied the charges and said Mr Matherani was fully aware that he was giving an interview that was going to be published.
The NDTV also quoted Mr Matherani as saying that he was keeping away from the media because a formal investigation was underway. The TV channel also added to the mystery about Mr Matherani's whereabouts by attributing to his family the information that Mr Matherani had not been quizzed by the ED.
However, it was not clear from where Mr Matherani was issuing this statement and why he was not surfacing-even if he was not going to speak to media--- to clarify where he was taken from the airport and where he was now.
Sources in the ED said Mr Matherani was not in their care. <b>"Matherani is not in Delhi. He has been kept at an undisclosed destination in another city and is being questioned for his sensational revelations against Mr Natwar Singh and his son, Jagat Singh. The agencies are also trying to probe his mind whether he was "privy to more information linking Congress Party in the award of oil coupons by the Saddam Hussain regime,"</b> top sources told The Pioneer.
The treatment meted out to Mr Matherani, who was till yesterday India's ambassador to Croatia enjoying various types of immunity, has given fresh ammunition to the Opposition to attack the UPA Government.
<b>"It is getting curiouser and curiouser. We are going to demand all the facts from the Government. We want Matherani to be produced before the nation,"</b> BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley told The Pioneer.
<b>At a meeting of top BJP leaders at the residence of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee here this evening, it was decided to aggressively raise the issue in both Houses of Parliament, BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman VK Malhotra said.</b>
The meeting condemned the Government for "whisking away" Mr Matherani from the Delhi airport and alleged that attempts were being made to make him give a statement convenient to the Government.
Mr Matherani's interrogation is bound to raise several questions. The ED did not question him when his name first figured in connection with the Volcker Report last month while he was in Delhi. The timing of his interrogation ---immediately after he made his damning disclosure against Mr Natwar Singh and confirmed that oil vouchers were also issued to the Congress---is significant.
Incidentally, <span style='color:red'><b>the ED has so far not questioned Mr Natwar Singh and his son, both of whom were accused of wheeling-dealing by Mr Matherani. The Government's action appeared more like crucifying the whistle-blower and letting the accused go free.</b> </span>
Sources said that the decision to question Mr Matherani was arrived at a meeting held in the Prime Minister's office on Friday when a Union Minister cautioned the Government about the collateral damages, which Mr Matherani could cause if he was allowed to interact with the media.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
They all are trying to save Queen Sonia.
Pioneer.com
Pramod Kumar Singh/ New Delhi
Where is Aniel Matherani? This is one question the central agencies have refused to answer ever since an Austrian Air flight with Mr Matherani on board touched down at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport at 10.40pm on Friday. Â
As Mr Matherani alighted from the aircraft, he was whisked away to an undisclosed place by some central agencies and their undercover operatives who were waiting for him at the tarmac. This was an obvious move by the Centre to keep him away from the prying eyes of the media.
<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Eyewitnesses at the airport said that the way Mr Matherani was taken into custody by unknown elements had the stamp of a clock-and-dagger mafia operation. He was swathed in blankets and forced into a car escorted by tough-looking guys. But the drama had just begun. Officers of the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB), a wing of Intelligence Bureau (IB) who were waiting for Mr Matherani at the airport went wild when they discovered that he had not crossed the immigration check. It took some time for them to realise that their 'bird' had been flown away.</span>
<b>Reports said that 'unidentified' officials first took Mr Matherani to a place in South Delhi. He was reportedly asked to clarify certain issues raised by the ED officials after which another central agency took over.</b>
<span style='font-size:17pt;line-height:100%'>There were considerable speculations that Mr Matherani was under pressure to retract his controversial interview in which he had claimed that the Saddam regime had issued oil vouchers to Natwar Singh and the Congress Party.</span> Reports said that the Enforcement Directorate was interrogating Mr Matherani, but there was no official confirmation about this.
Late at night, NDTV issued a statement purportedly quoting Mr Matherani that he was not speaking to the media because of "malicious violation of his privacy." He blamed a news magazine (India Today) and a TV channel (Aaj Tak) for distorting an off-the record conversation and putting it as an interview.
Group Editor India Today Prabhu Chawla, however, denied the charges and said Mr Matherani was fully aware that he was giving an interview that was going to be published.
The NDTV also quoted Mr Matherani as saying that he was keeping away from the media because a formal investigation was underway. The TV channel also added to the mystery about Mr Matherani's whereabouts by attributing to his family the information that Mr Matherani had not been quizzed by the ED.
However, it was not clear from where Mr Matherani was issuing this statement and why he was not surfacing-even if he was not going to speak to media--- to clarify where he was taken from the airport and where he was now.
Sources in the ED said Mr Matherani was not in their care. <b>"Matherani is not in Delhi. He has been kept at an undisclosed destination in another city and is being questioned for his sensational revelations against Mr Natwar Singh and his son, Jagat Singh. The agencies are also trying to probe his mind whether he was "privy to more information linking Congress Party in the award of oil coupons by the Saddam Hussain regime,"</b> top sources told The Pioneer.
The treatment meted out to Mr Matherani, who was till yesterday India's ambassador to Croatia enjoying various types of immunity, has given fresh ammunition to the Opposition to attack the UPA Government.
<b>"It is getting curiouser and curiouser. We are going to demand all the facts from the Government. We want Matherani to be produced before the nation,"</b> BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley told The Pioneer.
<b>At a meeting of top BJP leaders at the residence of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee here this evening, it was decided to aggressively raise the issue in both Houses of Parliament, BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman VK Malhotra said.</b>
The meeting condemned the Government for "whisking away" Mr Matherani from the Delhi airport and alleged that attempts were being made to make him give a statement convenient to the Government.
Mr Matherani's interrogation is bound to raise several questions. The ED did not question him when his name first figured in connection with the Volcker Report last month while he was in Delhi. The timing of his interrogation ---immediately after he made his damning disclosure against Mr Natwar Singh and confirmed that oil vouchers were also issued to the Congress---is significant.
Incidentally, <span style='color:red'><b>the ED has so far not questioned Mr Natwar Singh and his son, both of whom were accused of wheeling-dealing by Mr Matherani. The Government's action appeared more like crucifying the whistle-blower and letting the accused go free.</b> </span>
Sources said that the decision to question Mr Matherani was arrived at a meeting held in the Prime Minister's office on Friday when a Union Minister cautioned the Government about the collateral damages, which Mr Matherani could cause if he was allowed to interact with the media.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
They all are trying to save Queen Sonia.