<b>Packages: Institutional fraud</b> -Pioneer
KPS gill
27th Noiv 2004
When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Jammu & Kashmir on November 17, he announced a Rs 24,000 crore "package" for various developmental projects in the State. Since he was visiting another "trouble torn" region-the Northeast, specifically Guwahati (Assam) and Imphal (Manipur)-almost immediately thereafter (on November 20th-22nd), great expectations of comparable largesse had been generated there as well. The expectation was at least partially fulfilled-though there was disappointment at the relatively trifling "package" of Rs 326 crore sanctioned for Assam. Manipur fared much better, with an allocation of Rs 2,777.68 crore-a comparatively colossal sum, particularly in view of the much smaller size of the State. There are, moreover, several indications that further announcements of Central munificence towards the Northeast will follow in the months to come.
Implicit in these allocations is the current Government's "response strategy" to terrorism-its articulation of its "political" solution to the strife in these various regions. This was underlined further by the Prime Minister's exhortations to the "youth" at these various venues to "shun violence" and not to resort to the "use of the gun", as well as his "open invitation" for talks to any group to resolve "outstanding problems".
All this, significantly, is articulated with an air of originality and freshness, as if to suggest that these are new and unique "initiatives" abruptly conceived of in a radical breach with the past. They are, in fact, some of the most tired and unproductive cliches in the book. The truth is, Central financial allocations to the various areas of strife in the Northeast-and to J&K-have always been extraordinarily liberal, and, on a per capita basis, well above the average for the rest of the country. Since Mr Deve Gowda's announcement of a "package" of Rs 6,100 crore for the Northeast, furthermore, it has become the fashion for successive Prime Minister's to make grand announcements of astronomical sums on their tours to these disturbed regions as a declaration of their intent to secure a 'political solution' to the ongoing insurgencies and terrorist movements there.
Significantly, all these areas of strife are among the Special Category States, and all "Central assistance" is received by them in the form of 90 per cent grants, and just 10 per cent as loans, as against the norm of 30 per cent grant and 70 per cent loan for other States. Central allocations under these and other very liberal provisions, moreover, are largely "non-lapseable"-in other words, if they are not utilised in the year of allocation, they do not lapse, but are cumulatively carried over into the next year. The truth is-and this is well known to anyone who has worked in or studied the region honestly -there is simply no dearth of funds in the Northeast for any productive plan or programme. The problem is, and always has been, implementation.
Despite the many thousands of crore allocated to the Northeast in the past and expended by the State Governments in the region in various "development projects"-the real developmental impact has been negligible. An overwhelming proportion of these monies have been misappropriated into private coffers within the region, and a significant share has also been transported back to Delhi "in suitcases". The intended beneficiaries have seen little or nothing in terms of measurable development.
And yet the fiction persists: that pouring more and more money into a region of strife and mis-governance will, magically, rid the areas of violence and insurgency. In fact, this flow of funds primarily "rewards" the corrupt and at least partially feeds the insurgencies. All prominent insurgent groups have established systems by which they corner a cut in virtually all components of Government expenditure, either by direct "taxation" (extortion), or by a collusive mechanism in which Government officials, politicians and proxy "contractors" are involved, through which they corner most major contracts for "public works" and the delivery of various "developmental services".
I recall, at the very height of the troubles in Punjab, some senior officials had gone to the Centre with the proposal of a liberal "economic package" for the State to help "solve" the terrorist problem there. The then Union Home Secretary, CG Somaiah, had made a very perceptive remark at that time, saying that all these "packages" only enthused bureaucrats, not the people of the State.
The people of States afflicted by violence and widespread disorders can be enthused only when they actually see projects being completed and when benefits begin to accrue directly to them. The "packages" of the past have failed to secure these ends, and the reason for this demands our immediate and un-deluded attention.
The areas of disorder-be it in the Northeast or in J&K, or indeed, in the widening regions of Left Wing extremist strife-are, in fact, also areas of the most extraordinarily incompetent and corrupt governance. Administrative ineptitude has been compounded manifold, moreover, by the structures of intimidation and violence in wide regions, which make it impossible for the administration to "deliver" public goods and services, even where the desire exists. Simply put, the extension network at village and block levels has, in large measure, withdrawn into the districts, and very little of the resources allocated for programmes at these levels can actually be expended there.
Instead, "paper projects" are drawn up at the district levels, the monies are "spent", and a false account of "works executed" is created. Major projects in the power, construction and irrigations sectors, with allocations of many hundred of crores, are often held to ransom by the insurgents, resulting in extraordinary delays, often over decades, and consequent and repeated "cost escalation"-at least part of which accrues to "private interests". Over time, the bureaucracy's and political leadership's vested interest in this structure of sham "developmental projects" becomes so entrenched that, even when violence recedes, this structure of institutional fraud is not dismantled.
This is not to argue that the financial flows to the Northeast-or to other areas of violence-must be diminished. Rather, we must separate the issue of economic development-which is a necessary and independent objective of governance, both at the State and Central level-from that of widespread violence and breakdown of law and order. The fiction that generous financial allocations can "resolve" the insurgencies of these regions must be abandoned, and a direct effort must be made to address the violence and lawlessness itself. Absent a restoration of the integrity and effectiveness of the state's enforcement agencies, and of the justice system, an effective infrastructure for the delivery of other public goods and services including development cannot be sustained.
On the developmental front, moreover, the utilisation of funds will have to be closely monitored, with detailed social and economic audits confirming that the monies allocated are actually being utilised for their intended purposes, and that benefits are, in fact, accruing to the target population. No such social and economic audits are currently carried out, and even the annual accounting exercise by the Comptroller and Auditor General, which routinely finds glaring irregularities in the utilisation of funds in these regions, attracts no noticeable penalties against the errant officials, agencies or governments.
Unless law and order is restored and an immensely greater measure of accountability imposed on Governments in these regions, the many "packages" allocated by the Centre will simply continue to be poured into the bottomless pit of deception, greed, irresponsibility and fraud into which thousands of crores have already disappeared. Worse, the impression will be perpetuated that violence, lawlessness and terrorism will, in fact, continue to be rewarded.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Mumbai blocks Telgi probe
- By Vishwa Mohan
New Delhi, Jan. 10: The CBI special investigation teamâs biggest obstacle in probing the multi-crore fake stamp paper racket appears to be the Maharashtra government. An important CBI letter requesting "prosecution sanction" against five top police officers of the state has got stuck somewhere in the home department despite repeated reminders sent by the investigating agency.
Consequently, the CBI, which has so far filed 26 chargesheets in cases relating to the fake stamp paper racket, could not file an important chargesheet in the Bund Garden police station case of Pune. Former Mumbai and Pune police commissioner R.S. Sharma and former joint commissioner of police (intelligence) Sreedhar Vagal are two important accused in the case, the investigation of which led to seizures of fake stamp paper worth over Rs 3,000 crores from different places in Maharashtra.
The CBI had on September 9, 2004 sent a formal request under Section 197 of the CrPC to the additional chief secretary (home department), Maharashtra government, for "prosecution sanction" against five persons, including Mr Sharma, Mr Vagal, former DCP (Mumbai Police) P.B. Sawant, assistant commissioner of police (Mumbai) Gokul Bagaji Patil, now retired, and ACP (Pune) M.C. Mulani, also retired. The CBI had also sent a reminder to the state government on October 8, 2004.
"The state government has, however, not provided the requisite prosecution sanction so far against the top cops. The CBI cannot file its chargesheet unless given a formal go-ahead by the concerned authorities," said a senior CBI official.
Besides requesting the home department, the CBI had initially also written to the Maharashtra director-general of police under Section 91© of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, for "prosecution sanction" against former assistant police inspector (Mumbai crime branch) D.P. Kamat, Mumbai police inspector V.R. Andhale and P.P. Kakade, a sub-inspector at Thaneâs Meera Road police station. Similarly, the agency had written to the secretary (department of revenue and forests), Maharashtra government, under Section 197 of the CrPC for "prosecution sanction" against Babban Tukaram Ranjane, who was posted as a stamp officer in the stamp department of the state government.
Although the other department and the Maharashtra DGP had provided the CBI with the requisite sanction against four persons as they were middle-level officials, the obstacles remain in the case of the five "top cops". The home department has so far not responded to the CBI despite repeated reminders. The CBI has been having similar problems with the Karnataka government.
The CBI on Monday informed the Supreme Court about the "delay" on the parts of both the state governments. Appearing for the CBI, additional solicitor-general Amarendra Saran informed the top court that several requests for sanction for prosecution of top government officials and police personnel are pending before the governments of Maharashtra and Karnataka and requested the court to make the states expedite their decisions on the requests.
The Supreme Court later directed the Karantaka and Maharashtra governments to consider within four weeks the CBIâs request seeking sanction for prosecution of top government officials and police officers accused in multi-crore fake stamp paper scam.
The case allegedly linking the top police officers to the racket came to light when the Pune police first registered a case against prime accused Abdul Karim Ladsab Telgi at Bund Garden police station (135\2002) on June 7, 2002, when Mr R.S. Sharma, an IPS officer and now an accused in the case, was the Pune police commissioner. The investigation of this case was transferred to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Pune, on November 8, 2002, and then to the CBI on the orders of the Supreme Court in March 2004.
Giving the details of the case, the official said an Indica car coming from Mumbai was intercepted near Pune railway station by officers of the Bund Garden police station on June 7, 2002. During this operation, three persons travelling in the car were arrested as a result of the recovery of a suitcase containing counterfeit government stamps and stamp papers, foreign bill stamps, revenue stamps and share-transfer stamps of different denomination worth Rs. 2,98,794.
Subsequently, an offence was registered under different sections of the IPC and Indian Stamps Act at Bund Garden police station, Pune. The interrogation of the accused later resulted in the arrest of several others and raids on a number of places.
The nature and extent of the fake stamp paper racket can be understood by the fact that the CBI has so far already questioned 1,024 persons, including Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal, and senior public servants, including additional director-general of Tamil Nadu police S. Ramani, during its over nine-month-long investigation.
The CBI, which had taken up the investigating of 48 fake stamp paper cases across India on the directions of the Supreme Court on March 15, 2004, filed a status report before the top court on Monday. Of the 48 cases transferred to the CBI last year, 23 were from Maharashtra, 10 from Karnataka and three each from UP and Andhra Pradesh, two each from Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh and one each from Delhi, Bihar, Gujarat, Kerala and West Bengal.
According to the status report, a total of 26 chargesheets and two closure reports have been filed by the CBI in courts in Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore and Patna. During the investigations, the CBI seized 18 film positives meant for printing these fake stamp papers, a printing press and arrested 15 absconders, the status report said.
"One chargesheet has been filed in respect of a non-Telgi gang, which shows that the illegal business of fake stamps was not confined to the organised network of Abdul Karim Telgi alone," said an earlier CBI status report filed in the Supreme Court in November 2004.
The report said, "Dubious roles and conduct of a large number of public servants and other persons in public life are being established through the investigations conducted by the CBI. It is being firmly indicated in a number of instances that the accused public servants had actively aided and abetted the organised crime syndicate of Telgi by way of obtaining pecuniary benefits. Systemic faults and loopholes in administrative procedures have been revealed and identified during the investigations." <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Congress gift to Mayawati before UP election, When NDA was in power Congress was screaming against her.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>SC pulls up CBI on Taj corridor case</b>
Pioneer News Service/ New Delhi
In an order which could either delay or upturn the <b>BSP supremo Mayawati's possible exoneration in the Taj Heritage Corridor scam, the Supreme Court has asked the CBI to file in two weeks the evidence on the basis of which the attorney general has opined that the case against her should be closed.</b> While restraining the agency from filing the closure report till the issue is settled, the apex court took it to task for seeking the AG's opinion ahead of the scheduled hearing before the monitoring bench.
<b>Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and six officers of Uttar Pradesh and Centre are accused in the Rs 175 crore THC scam and the fresh apex court directive has put a spanner in the CBI bid to close the case.</b>
Taking umbrage to the CBI sending the entire evidence in the case to Attorney General Milon Banerjee who opined closure of the case, a bench comprising Justice Ruma Pal, Justice SB Sinha and Justice SH Kapadia took the agency to task for not producing the evidence before the court first.
"It appears from the status report submittedby CBI director US Mishra that having regard to evidence gathered as well as the opinion of the Attorney General, that prosecution was not to be launched," the bench said adding "we direct the CBI to produce the entire evidence and the opinion of AG before the court within two weeks."
Driving home the point that it will thoroughly scrutinise the evidence and the proposed closure opinion, the bench said the CBI would not file a closure report as the apex court was seized of the matter. The bench also recorded the statement of the Solicitor General GE Vahanvati that no closure report would be filed by CBI till further orders.
The bench told Vahanvati, who appeared for the CBI, that it was on the basis of the September 18, 2003 order of the court that the FIR was registered against the former chief minister and the other officials. "So you should have reported back to the court rather than seek opinions from others," it said and wanted to know as to why such a lapse occurred.
Explaining the situation, Vahanvati said there were conflicting opinions expressed by officers within the CBI as to whether or not prosecution should be launched against Mayawati on the basis of the evidence collected so far and keeping this in mind the CBI director had sought the opinion of the AG.
"Let us see the evidence because of which the AG has opined closure of the case," the court said, adding "the opinion cannot be a piece of evidence based on which the CBI has proposed to close the case."
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From an old ('99) article by Pritish Nandy:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->My favourite checklist of forgotten crimes is:
* Whatever happened to the errant policemen in the Bhagalpur blindings case?
* Where are the documents sent to us by the Swiss courts in the Bofors bribery case?
* Whatever happened to the Czech pistols case involving Arun Nehru?
* What happened to the probe into the sugar scam involving Kalpnath Rai?
* Did Chandra Swami forge the St Kitts documents to nail V P Singh?
* What was exactly Sitaram Kesri's role in the murder of Dr Tanwar?
* Did Narasimha Rao take Rs 1 crore from Harshad Mehta in a suitcase?
* Whatever happened to Goldstar, the company owned by Narasimha Rao's son?
* What were the actual links discovered between Tata Tea and the ULFA terrorists?
* What happened to the CBI case against Colonel Wahi of ONGC and the Essar Ruias?
* What has the probe into Balasubramanium's links with Romesh Sharma revealed?
* Did the Mittals finally manage to get away with their infamous Balaidila deal?
* What have the investigations into Sukh Ram's shady telecom deals revealed?
* What have the two arrested Karsan executives confessed about the urea scam?
* What is the progress on the case against Youth Congress leader Sushil Sharma for his tandoori murder?
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->India, the ancient seat of learning, the breeding-ground of people with morals as lofty as the sky itself, the nation which was once a proud claimant vis-a-vis truth and follower of the paths of sages like Mahavira and Gautam Buddha, has perhaps forgotten its ethical roots. Now, all our country is left with is a bagful of scams.
We have a total of twenty-five major and minor scams that saw daylight. There might be some other as well, which we never came face to face with. We have the following list, naming a few major ones, perhaps the biggest scams in the world as well: Jeep, Serajuddin, Mundhra, Kairon, Bofors, Securities, Hawala, Telecom, Big Bull's Stock Scam, Fodder, Jayalalitha, Urea, ISRO, Tehelka. We will discuss
According to one estimate, if this money is spent on infrastructure, then Indian infrastructure will be equivalent to the one in developed countries. Your efforts will be appreciated to make public aware of effects of such scams on their life.....
No. Project Name Amount (in Rs)
1 Share scam 1000 crores
2 Sugar scam 650 crores
3 Bofors scam 65 crores
4 Hawala case 65 crores
5 Housing scam 18 crores
6 M.P. trading 32 crores
7 Fertilizer scam 133 crores
8 Medicine Equipment scam 5000 crores
9 Telecom case 1200 crores
10 Newsprint case 20 crores
11 Indian bank scam 1336 crores
12 Fodder scam (Bihar) 1000 crores
13 Land scam (Bihar) 400 crores
14 Bitumen scam (Bihar) 100 crores
15 Medicine scam (Bihar) 100 crores
16 Forest case (Meghalaya) 300 crores
17 Ayurveda scam (UP) 32 crores
18 Dhoti-Saree scam (Tamil) 11 crores
19 Coal scam (Tamilnadu) 750 crores
20 Forest reserve scam (Meghalaya) 75 crores
21 Wakof Scam (West Bengal) 1600 crores
22 Dental College Case (Karnataka) 50Â lakhs
Total of Rs. 13,93,70,00,00,000/- Can you read out this figure?. I CANNOT! Its even than India's Annual Budget.Â
This is just the tip of the iceberg of an immense range of possibilities, which you can take advantage of. For example, there have been scams like Treasury scams, Panchayat Scam, Fishery Scam, Cooperative scam, Dairy scam,Food Ministry scam, Lottery scam, and hospital scams. Now see how many jewels this system has produced:
Â
No.  Name of person   Amount (in Rs)
1 Motilal Vohra 11.0 lakhs
2Â Â P. Shivshankar 26.0 lakhs
3Â Â Ajit Panja 3.5 lakhs
4Â Â Balaram Jhakar 61.0 lakhs
5Â Â N.D. Tiwari 25.0 lakhs
6Â Â B.D.Thakne 10.0 lakhs
7Â Â Kalpnath Rai 54.0 lakhs
8Â Â C.K. Jaffar Sharif 10.0 lakhs
9Â Â Buta Singh 7.0 lakhs
10 V.C. Shukla 65.0 lakhs
11 P.L.Shahi 11.3 lakhs
12Â R.K.Dhawan 50.0 lakhs
13Â Madhav rao Scindia 75.0 lakhs
14Â Kamal Nath 17.0 lakhs
15Â Arjun Singh 10.0 lakhs
16Â S.L. Khurana 3.0 lakhs
17Â Arif Mohd. Khan 756.0 lakhs
18Â Asoke Sen 20.0 lakhs
19Â Yashwant Sinha 21.0 lakhs
20Â Devilal 50.0 lakhs
21Â K. Natwar Singh 21.0 lakhs
22Â Arjun Singh 10.0 lakhs
23Â Chandram 1.0 lakhs
(Figures are according to CBI charge sheet) And of course, we have not mentioned the greats like Jayalalitha and Laloo Prasad Yadav who have attained pinnacles of performance in this Venture. And all these great men and women have emerged in the past 5 or 6 years and is only a miniscule fraction of the amount of wealth that has been generated by these exceptional strategies and their predecessors over the past 50 years.
In one estimate, the total amount of wealth in foreign bank accounts of Politicians only are $110 billion US dollars. The Indian national budget is $65billion and the total industrial infrastructure development needs for India to be at par with some of the developed countries is at $150 billion. Also, note that this amount is the cost of 366 nuclear reactors at the cost of $300 million dollar each.
With this we can create some awareness of the greatness of our country Leaders!!
some of the important ones in the following report.
<b>Boforsââthe Smoking Gunâ</b>
Introduction:
The Bofors scandal is a hallmark of Indian corruption. The list of accused included not only some central ministers but also people at the very top, including the former P.M. Mr Rajiv Gandhi. It also involved eminent personalities from Indian politics and also a powerful NRI family named the Hindujas.
The Chronology:
As the Bofors scandal has been dogging the Indian political scene intermittently, people have either lost interest or got lost following the lengthy proceedings. So letâs take a look at the chronology of events.
1. Jan. 20, 1984: CCPA clears the purchase of 155mm guns. Army submits preferences-- TR of Sofma, FH77B of Bofors and FH70 of IMS (OR)
2. May 3, 1985: S.K. Bhatnagar (Defence Secretary) informs manufacturers that the Government had not approved of appointment of Indian agents, acting foreign suppliers, Bofors having agents for the deal in India.
3. Aug.-Nov. 1985: Quattrochi contacts AE services which becomes Bofors Consultant and is promised 3% cut if the Indian deal is clinched before 1st April, 1986.
4. Sept. 3, 1986: AE services opens account in Nordfinanz Bank, Zurich.
5. Bofors remits $ 7.3 million to above account.
6. Sept. 16, 1986: AE services transfer money ($7.12 million) to the account of Colbar Investments in Geneva, controlled by Quattrochi.
7. April 16, 1987: Swedish radio claims that bribes were paid by Bofors to secure contract.
8. June 1, 1987: Swedish national audit bureau confirms money was paid by Bofors as "winding up" costs.
9. June 10, 1987: Minister of State for Defence Mr Arun Singh asks for cancellation of the contract unless Bofors gives the names of those who received money.
10. Jan. 22, 1990: CBI files FIR asking the Swiss to freeze bank accounts in which any commission was paid. Consequently, some Swiss accounts were frozen. The first set of documents arrives from Switzerland in Dec. 1990.
11. 1990 â â92: Swiss inquires are stalled by litigation in India. The mess compounded by External Affairs Minister M. S. Solanki, who passed an unsigned note to the Swiss on Feb. 1, 1992, saying that no further steps should be taken in Switzerland unless a final decision is taken in Indian courts.
12.June 23, 1993: Interpol informs the CBI of Quattrochiâs appeal in Switzerland against the release of bank documents to India. Quattrochi flies from India to settle in Malaysia.
13. Oct. 22, 1999: CBI files charge sheet: Q is accused.
The Duty of the CBI:
Having pursued the matter so long and having caused much controversy over the matter it is the CBIâs duty now to see to it that the real accused come to justice. It is its duty to see the evidence collected by it is analyzed carefully (without prejudices and desire for vengeance) and the facts are established solidly. It could not have asked for a more favourable time than now, the Vajpayee Govt with a majority on its hands backing up the CBI to fully investigate the case without any fear or favour whatsoever.
<b>The Hawala Scandalââthe All-ensnaring Oneâ</b>
Introduction:
The Hawala case, which came in the open in 1996 exploded in the face of Indian politics, unsettling all the major political players. For the first time in Indian politics, so many politicians were accused of having accepted bribes and misused their power. The Hawala case presents a crystal clear picture of the inefficient IT department. The Hawala web was woven in the autarkic period in the Indian economy during the 1950âs and 1960âs.
Explanation:
The scandal, which came into light as a result of sporadic raids by the Directorate of Investigations, income tax, on hawala operators in 1991. These resulted in the seizure of certain diaries and files from S. K. Jainâs premises. S. K. Jain, the managing director of Bhilai Engineering Corporation (BEC) possessed certain documents that listed certain cash transactions made by him during 1988â 91. It showed a receipt of nearly Rs 53.5 crores from secret sources and subsequent disbursement of Rs 65 crs to bureaucrats, politicians, political parties and companies. This was the 2nd time that the BEC group was under scrutiny. The first time was when it was among those business houses suspected of engineering the assassination of the social activist and Chattisgarh Mukti Morcha leader Shanker Guha-Niyogi. Although details about the size of its partner in money terms was not available, BEC has an aggregate capacity for fabrication and assembly of 25,000 tones per annum of core equipment in the core sectors of steel, cement etc. It had executed major turnkey projects for several public and private sector companies with areas of 36 acres. No wonder then, such a company should be a prime target for seekers of political funding. Consequently, the hawala diaries named almost every prominent leader then who had in some or the other way accepted large amounts of cash, which they termed âgiftsâ.
What is Hawala?
Hawala or the parallel markets for foreign exchange originated back in the virtually autarkic period in the Indian economy in the 1950s and 1960s. Companies who made payments abroad and had to pay for acquired land used the hawala route, which investors also used to pelt their money in foreign assets. The converse was also true. Indians received remittances from abroad through the hawala market.
Hawala transfers were also used routinely by corporates to avoid both direct and indirect taxes. Companies book notional losses against which they transfer money abroad through hawala. With duties on imports remaining high, importers often under-invoiced imports and paid the duty on the forged amount while the balance in the period through the hawala route. Anticipations feared decline in the value of the Rupee. This meant that those who could convert rupees to dollars and transfer them abroad, with no convertibility on the capital account, the only route left was the hawala one. On the inflow side, a lot of illegal money comes in through illegal ways like drug trafficking, stock market and real estate.
The Scam:
The amount involved in the scam totaled Rs 65 crores. The lynchpin of S. K. Jainâs hawala network, âAmir Bhaiâ had four a/cs in Geneva, Dubai, London and Antwerp from where he provided S. K. Jain, the prime accused, among others, with the required amount. He further distributed it to 32 bureaucrats, 30 politicians and NTPC officials. Among the top politicians implicated in the case were M/s L. K. Advani, V.C. Shukla, Madhavrao Scindia, Arjun Singh, Sharad Yadav, Yashwant Sinha and Balram Jakhad. However, excepting Sharad Yadav, all of them were later acquitted of all charges due to the lack of sustainable evidence, for which the CBI has attracted some amount of flak.
The Results:
When the Hawala scandal surfaced 55 initials mentioned in the diary fill in the political category. Of these 6 have died and of the held 115 names and initials which appear at various places in the dairy only 20 have been linked up. Way back in 1996 when it was disclosed it provided a severe blow to the politicians and all most every political party namely also congress and BJP.
The scandal, attracted the attention of the whole nation to the degree of corruption our political and economic structure has plunged in. The involvement of almost all party hands, politicians and business men of all color show that inspite of our rich moral and ethical patronage, all we are left with is the knowledge of a, âcorrupt way to beâ.
<b>The Telecom ScandalââDial M for Moneyâ</b>
Introduction:
Popularly known as the âSukhram Scamâ, this was a product of the gradual liberalization of the Indian economy. Every sector during this period was being thrown open to privatization. However, the country was not fully prepared for the onslaught of the market. It had no infrastructure, no guiding strategies and no crisis management regime. In such a situation, there is a normal tendency in powerful persons, who know the whole scene, to manipulate-- using their stature, post/s, power etc.-- things to their own benefit. It is precisely this that happened in the Department of Telecommunications in the early 90s.
The Chronology:
1. TEC floats a tender for 3000 MARR sets.
2. March â92â May â93: TEC evaluates 35 bids for MARR systems given part order to ARM @ Rs 3.54 lac per system. Sets up Price Negotiation Team.
3. Sept. 1993: ARM asks Sukhram to restore price cut and orders 450 crystal sets instead of 300. Committee members object but are overruled.
4. Jan. 1994: New orders are placed on ARMS terms. DOT losses around 1.68 cr.
5. Jan. 16, 1995: Tender floated for basic telecom services.
6. March 1995: Bids to be closed, but postponed for unknown reasons. Bids finally submitted on June 7, 1995.
7. Aug. 31, 1995: HFCL bids highest in 9 circles at 85,000 crore rupees. Their bid is Rs 50,000 crore more than their nearest rival. HFCLâs ability to raise funds in doubt.
Sukhramâs Modus Operandi:
1. Get pliable bureaucrats. 2. Overrule officials. 3. Transfer officials who object. 4. Wait until the right moment in order to strike.
The Government was stunned by the scandal. Doubts were raised in the minds of government officials and ministers regarding the entire liberalization process. However, the government could not stop it as it was too far ahead in its course to stop it. The GOI would have to return over Rs 1900 crores which had been collected as license fees, if the agreement was to be stopped or abrogated or renegotiated. Also, the impact on foreign investment would have been extremely bad and Indiaâs credibility broken to pieces.
<b>The Fodder Scam: âthe Gawala Sagaâ</b>
Introduction:
A clique of graft and irregular politico-administrative patronage was exposed when the CBI unraveled the Rs-700-crore fodder scam in Bihar in July â96. The accused included top officials in the Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) and their political patrons/bosses. The AHD was being milked dryâalmost literallyâby their unholy nexus!
Fodder for the Netas and Babus:
The racket was traced to have begun in 1983-4, when the AHD unwittingly overstepped their budgetary allocation while carrying out a project. As always Govt had their eyes shut. The officials smelt money and around 1985-6 the loot began. Local politicians sensed the swindle, but shamelessly plunged into the action. With their involvement, the daring of the AHDâs officials sore high, and another racket under the patronage of our politicians was initiated.
It was well coordinated between bureaucrats in various departments and officials of the AHD, in connivance with district collectors and commissioners, made fake allotments and withdrawal orders. Then with help from collaborators in the State Secretariat, these were presented to the treasury along with forged supporting bills to show supply of fodder and medicine from a network of dubious suppliers. The treasury passed the bills and the banks, equally unsuspectingly, credited the amounts to the suppliersâ account. The money was thus shared between some officials and their political protectors. This loot of the treasury continued for a decade and totaled to an amount around Rs 750 crore.
<b>The Urea ScamââNitrogen Fixationâ</b>
Introduction:
The Urea scam has its genesis in the P. V. Narsimha Rao regime. It is not only important because of the amount involved which was Rs 133 crore but also because of the negatives it generated. At the centre of controversy lay a dubious deal signed by the NFL with a little known Turkish firm called Karsan Danismanlik Turigam Samayi Ticarct Ltd for the supply of 200,000 tons of urea in Oct. â95. The CBI, which was probing the scam, charged the NFL management with making a full advance payment of $ 37.62 million to Karsan in complete violation of accepted business norms. The agreement was made without any bank guarantee/s, a complete insurance cover and even a letter of intent. Also, it would be naive to assume that the NFL M.D. could authorize payment of $ 38 million to the Turkish firm without the consent of scores of officials, going right upto the then Minister of Fertilizer. Possibly, even higher powers were involved because the system of fertilizer procurement does not permit such rash payments to be made.
The CBI found that a part of the payment amounting to $ 200,000 found its way back into India via an ANZ Grindlays Bank account in Hyderabad. The account belonged to Saikrishna Impex, agents for Karsan in India. The CBI believed that the sum was brought into India via Rea Brothers Ltd, a company with which Prakash Yadav was supposed to be closely involved. Thus, a clear political angle could be established.
All about Karsan:
Karsan is listed as a tourism firm in Turkey and is little known. The officials of the team sent to Ankara by the Ministry found that it was a very small firm even in Turkey and quite incapable of fulfilling the commitment it had made. Not only had NFL failed to check Karsonâs credentials, it also had not taken insurance cover against the possibility of Karson not fulfilling its contractual obligations.
The Fallout:
NFL had planned to expand the capacity of its Nangal plant by 215,000 tonnes and that of its Panipat plant by 726,000 tonnes. Doubling the capacity of the Vijapin plant, involving an outlay of Rs 1000 crore, is also pending clearance. It was planned to get the money from the capital markets. An Euro-issue was also on the anvil. While the public issue was stalled owing to tight monetary conditions, the Euro-issue plan was scratched. The Ministry also instructed NFL to put a joint venture project in Syria with Zuari Agro Ltd-- for constructing a urea plant-- on hold. Politically, the scandal brought a number of Congress leaders, including Narsimha Rao, again into negative focus.
A Disgusted Conclusion
The details of the above-mentioned scams show how entrenched corruption is in our economic and political structures. These scams, some of which date back to the infancy of the Republic, show that prevention is the need of the hour. What we need is a complete rethink on our socio-political ethos and the creation of a new administrative paradigm that is in tune with the changing times. We should not patch up the loopholes but try to rebuild the whole structure.
The Political Dimensions:
Taking a decision at the highest executive level of the govt to tackle the problem of corruption is the sine qua non of effective action. Legislation should endorse decision and commitment-- it will help to sustain political resolve. Our leaders must set a personal example of prudence and insist on the same from their colleagues. The political leadership must allow the antiâcorruption agencies full independence and autonomy of action. The executive should insist on the cooperative participation of all government departments. It must be ensured that means of mass communication are accessible to the antiâcorruption agencies so that they can convey their message to the larger community. More positively, the active involvement of businessmen is needed to fight corruption and encourage higher ethical standards and the adoption of codes of conduct to demonstrate that clean business does generate profits. In a market economy the cooperation between business and govt is the achievement of shared goals by regulated limits of interest and the requirements of both parties. The crux of the matter is to have proper guidelines and sufficiently strict vigilance while implementing them properly
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> <b>Scare in Britain, but risk is higher here</b>
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2005 12:58:14 AM ]
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: It's just about everywhere - in the spices, vegetables, fruits, milk, tea leaves, coffee, honey, salt - you name it. Adulteration, often with stuff that's very harmful to your health, is a given. The risks range from kidney damage, sterility, brain damage to cancer.
"According to our estimates, 90% of the stuff being sold in the unorganised sector is adulterated. In the organised sector, however, it's not so bad, although even there you'll have cases of adulteration every now and then," said Sanjay Goyal, who heads the food safety division at Delhi-based Voice, an NGO which looks after consumer interests.
Ever wondered why the <b>brinjals look so shiny? Well, it could be mobile oil. </b>And if <b>your ice-cream tasted a bit, well, soapy, may be it was washing powder</b>. Want to go off food? According to experts, <b>dhania (coriander) powder is at times mixed with horse dung. And pickles are often spiked with copper salts that can ruin your kidneys</b>.
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Welcome to high-risk living. India, along with other South Asian countries, is particularly lax when it comes to food standards. The result is not merely adulteration, but adulteration with dangerous ingredients. Even branded stuff don't necessarily conform to standards.
Before you rush to the salad bar for a second helping, consider this â the inviting green ensemble may just be a Great Indian Additives Trick. <b>A sprinkle of the super white sulphur metabisulphite powder can preserve the fresh look, but also trigger a nasty allergy attack in an asthmatic person</b>.
Domestic experts here are hoping the chilli powder scare in the UK could become a spark off a debate in India over food hazards. Take t<b>artrazine, a yellow additive that's been a part of the "secret recipe" for perfect-looking jalebis</b>. "Tartrazine is known to cause allergies in sensitive persons," says Mumbai-based allegorist Dr Pramod Niphadkar.
"Adulteration takes place at each stage right from agricultural production to the point of sale of goods. The toxicity just keeps increasing at each level," said Delhi-based Gopal Krishna of Toxics Link, an NGO which has filed a PIL in the Supreme Court demanding the consumer's right to safe food.
Apart from the pesticides that creep into the food chain, <b>fruits like bananas and mangoes, are often exposed to calcium carbide to make them ripen fast</b>. Even traces of this can cause miscarriages. Similarly, traces of oxytocin, injections of which are given to cattle, can cause abortions, sterility and kidney damage.Â
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Govt to act tough on tax evaders: FM </b>
New Delhi
The government will come down heavily on tax evaders and take steps to prevent black money generation, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said on Thursday.
Â
"I will come down heavily (on tax evaders)... We have taken a small step," he said referring to the tax on cash withdrawal.
"We have documentary evidence that huge cash transactions take place and they leave no trail at all. This is how black money is generated and circulated from hand to hand. We have taken a small step," he said in an interview to DD News.
Out of the 1.03 billion people in the country, Chidambaram said "102 crore people are not concerned with the tax on cash withdrawals of Rs 10,000 every day. Nobody is cribbing about Rs 10 but about the tax trails. I need to discourage huge cash transactions." Elaborating on the tax trail, he said Tax Information Network (TIN) is supposed to bring in all information together along with the annual information report, which specified authorities have to report.
"We will have information network where we can cross-verify transaction by individuals in different ways," Chidambaram explained.
Asserting that tax reforms announced in the Budget was favourable for honest taxpayers, he said "every tax payer in every tax bracket is a winner." "So a hard-working person, who has an income of Rs 2 lakh need not pay tax. He will get a threshhold exemptions of Rs 1 lakh and if he saves another Rs 1 lakh in whatever manner he likes, he need not pay any tax," he said. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Last month IT officerâs raided house and factories of someone I know very well, it was in Newspaper also, so I called them to find out what is going on because it is a second raid in 3 years.
After spending whole day IT-officers came with over 1 crores unaccounted cash and other fringes. At the end of the day, those officers asked for 35 Lacs as a bribe to settle everything. After 2-3 days negotiation amount is settled to 8 Lacs.
Last time raiding party took 4 Lacs when so called difference was 70 Lacs. Old IT officers got transferred now new man want to make money.
I asked them call raiding team bluff, they told me previously they did and were harassed when they followed books, rules and paid dues. Angry team raided their complex 4-5 times in a year. So it is better to pay them off and you will be free to pay less or no tax and peace of mind.
If you cross a babu, you will be toast. And with negotiations you end up paying less anyway.
My little experience. I made a wrong left turn. A traffic walla stopped me. I was with a friend who was furious at the traffic walla and said something like "Are we the only ones you can find, you got 20Rs from me day-before-yesterday, is it even fair" etc. For some reason the cop couldnt remember but this friend somehow convinced him that it was indeed us that he had taken the 20 rs from a couple of days ago.. He let us go.. <!--emo&  --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Gloom in S-T Dept after tape expose </b>
Staff Reporter/ New Delhi
'Sting' was in the air at the Sales Tax Department on Wednesday following an <b>expose by a private news channel that caught 82 employees of the department accepting bribes on camera</b>.
The inside and outside of the 10-storey building were dotted with groups of people - employees, tax payers and gossip mongers alike - all talking about the same thing: The sting operation unearthing the all-pervasive under-the-table transactions going on openly in the department.
The building wore a deserted look, especially floors four, six, seven and eight where the operation was carried out in the past week. Though officers were seen attending to people in some wards, the general mood was sombre.
Each person who entered the building was being peered at with a degree of suspicion. "Are they TV walas? Is there a camera hidden inside that folder or pen?"
Public reaction on the operation varied. While majority believed that the role of the media had been positive so far as bring the issue to the fore was concerned, what after this was the question that was on many minds. "The situation here was so bad that if the lift operator saw a Rs 20 note left in one's pocket on the way out, he would shamelessly ask for it as elevator tip. The operation has come as a real relief," said Ravi Prakash, a businessman.
In almost absolute agreement, Sarita Kumar said, "Today is the first time that I have got my work done and am taking back all the money I got with me."
"After coming here, I had to unlearn all the laws and principals I learnt in CA classes. All I was required to know was how much to pay whom for getting my job done," said Chartered Accountant AK Sharma.
Will the furore that has been raked up get erased from public memory as time passes or will there be a permanent solution, seemed to be the universal query.
"The government is talking of installing CCTVs in the department building but who will be behind the cameras is the question. After all, this was going on with vigilance officials sitting pretty under the same roof," said Rakesh Madan, a businessman.Â
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Fodder scam: Someone wants judge changed
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->March 15, 2005 14:35 IST
A Supreme Court Bench caused a flutter on Tuesday by disclosing that it had been approached by "someone from the high court" at Patna for changing the trial judge hearing the multi-crore fodder scam case against Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Justice S N Variava, heading a three-judge Bench, said: "Yesterday someone contacted me from the high court and indirectly wanted to know whether the trial judge can be changed."
Senior advocate Mukul Rohtagi, appearing for petitioners -- members of Parliament Rajiv Ranjan and Sushil Modi -- who have sought cancellation of the bail granted to Lalu in the fodder scam case, said he had expressed his apprehension during the last hearing that the trial Judge may be changed.
The game plan is "to promote him and shift him out" as political heavy weights are involved in the fodder scam," he said.
"Now it will not happen," Justice Variava said.
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Fodder scam: Centre promises inquiry amidst Oppn walkout
Pioneer News Service/ New Delhi
Rattled by the Supreme Court judge S N Variava's disclosure that someone from Patna High Court had approached him seeking replacement of the trial court judge adjudicating the fodder scam case against Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Centre on Wednesday promised an inquiry into the whole episode.
But the assurance by Union Law Minister H L Bhardwaj in the Rajya Sabha failed to pacify an agitated BJP-led opposition, which staged a walkout from both House of the Parliament, to protest what they described as a bid to influence the superior judiciary on behalf of the railway minister.
The BJP-led Opposition walked out from the Lok Sabha, as they were not allowed the Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to raise the matter in the House.
"Anyone who interferes with the judiciary will be dealt with severely. No one will be able to browbeat the judiciary," Mr Bhardwaj told the Rajya Sabha, seeking to pacify an agitated Opposition and added "There would be an inquiry into the whole affair.
The matter was raised by BJP leader Balbir Punj, who alleged that efforts were being made to interfere in the working of the judiciary and influence it.
This led to a commotion in the Upper House with the treasury and the opposition benches hurling charges against each other, prompting the Union law minister to promise an inquiry into the whole affair.
On the basis of the minister's reply, Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat refused to allow the issue to be further discussed and asked the Opposition to stage a walkout if they had made up their mind to do so.
Mr Shekhawat said, "No one should disturb the proceedings of the House, there has to be a limit.
An exasperated chairman added that "If you want to walk out please do... when you have made up your mind to walk out please do." Soon after, members of the opposition trooped out of the Rajya Sabha.
In the Lok Sabha, BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra sought the Speaker's permission to raise the matter as soon as zero hour began. But with Mr Chaterjee not inclined to give the permission, the BJP-led Opposition staged a walkout.
Mr Chatterjee refused to allow Mr Malhotra saying "it is a matter of judiciary. It has nothing to do with the Government.''
Members can raise "matters of public importance," he added.
Mr Lalu Prasad was present in the Lower House when the opposition sought to raise the issue.
JD(U) leader Prabhunath Singh and BJP leaders Malhotra and Ananth Kumar repeatedly sought permission to raise the topic.
After Ramjilal Suman (SP) and Ms Sumitra Mahajan (BJP) moved their submissions, the chair called Mr Raghuraj Singh Sakia (SP) to move his submission.
Mr Malhotra subsequently staged a walkout along with his colleagues.
"Someone from the Patna High Court approached me wanting to know whether The Judge (presiding over the trial court) could be replaced," Justice Variava told a stunned courtroom on Tuesday, while hearing a PIL seeking cancellation of bail to Mr Lalu Prasad in the multi-crore fodder scam case.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Nice site... Gunnah.com but hasn't been kept up
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The cleanest officer
Claude Arpi
I recently celebrated 30 years in India. It is a long time in the life of an individual. I have never regretted the choice I made in 1974, when I decided to leave my "native country" and settle in the great land of India. Looking back, many things have changed. India is emerging as one of the future leading powers in the world. Dozens of articles, research papers and studies have been published in the past couple of years on the role India is featured to play in the 21st century. Many even predict that India along with China will overtake the US as the front-ranking economic power of the planet.
Whether India is really shining or not is a matter of perspective as the NDA discovered after the last Lok Sabha elections. Personally, but every morning I get distressed and saddened when I read the newspapers. It seems to me that the situation worsens with each passing year. Having spent many years in the land of rishis and sages, one could have thought that equanimity would have percolated my mind. It does not seem to be the case!
I have just to look at the titles: The jails of Bihar used as a durbar for criminals, "constitutional" coups spearheaded by governors, the police's dubious role in a mutt saga. And everybody knows that it is just the tip of the iceberg. Invariably, my (French) blood starts to boil, not only due to the big scams, but also the more innocuous news. An example recently read: "The rate of registration of births in Bihar fell from 23 per cent in 1996 to just 0.8 per cent in 2003 while Uttar Pradesh has not sent records of birth and death registration to the Centre for the last eight years because of lack of forms." Everyone is so used to this type of administrative failure that nobody really cares anymore. One usually jumps over such news reports without reading it; it is not news, it is common knowledge.
There is another type of scam - it could be termed "la Robin Hood". The latest one involves Reliance Infocomm. The largest Indian business group was accused of having cheated the DoT of some Rs 150 crore by "illegally" routing international calls its own way. A penalty was imposed on the ground that the private operator had violated license conditions. When Reliance approached the Tribunal (TDSAT); the verdict was quick to fall: Reliance had put the security of the nation in jeopardy by indulging in such illegal activities (sic). Finally, Chairman of company Mukesh Ambani decided to pay the bill: "The payment has been made so that the issues in dispute can be viewed dispassionately... We have full faith in the judicial process and are confident of vindicating our stand... There has been no impropriety on our part."
The truth of the matter is that the company in question has at times displayed a certain expertise to circumvent "Government rules" to its own benefit, though ultimately it also benefits the general public as it has forced the Government to look at outdated rules. In fact, if the system had not been subverted, the Indian public would perhaps still be paying Rs 80 per minute for a call to the US. A report published in Hong Kong found that India is the fourth most corrupt country in Asia, though grafting in China poses the biggest global threat according to the survey conducted by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy Ltd giving the annual graft rankings. Of course, Singapore was found the least corrupt, followed by Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea.
Indonesia, Asia's most corrupt nation, received 9.25 points on a scale from zero to 10, followed by the Philippines, which ranked No 2 with a score of 8.9. Vietnam was No 3 due "rampant corruption in powerful state-controlled companies", while India missed the bronze and made it to the fourth place on the list. It is interesting to note the reason assigned to India's ranking. According to the report, it was due to the country's "suffocating bureaucracy which created plenty of opportunities for payoffs to cut through red tape".
China is fifth with 7.33, but the report noted that corruption is so bad in the Middle Kingdom that communist leaders have been warned that the problem could upset social stability and derail the economy: "China's growing economic role in the region and the world ensures that the global fallout from any crisis precipitated by corruption on the mainland would be severe," the survey pointed out. "With the world's growing reliance on China as a production base, such a crisis would wreak havoc." Companies operating outside China are cited: "What's worse, when they get in trouble, the mainland parent usually washes its hands of the whole affair, saying it was not its fault."
However, there are also uplifting experiments. A magazine, The Ladakh Melong (The Mirror), decided recently to conduct a survey to elect Leh district's cleanest officer. The Melong wrote: "Sincerity and dedication may remain unnoticed in the beginning, but it always pays. All great saints and sages of the past went through various trials and tribulations, but they saw, later in their lives, truth always triumphed. After 30 hard years of selfless service, Sonam Morup was chosen by the people as the most honest officer in Leh district." It is good to read that truth always prevails.
The objective of the magazine is to honour, every year, officers who are dedicated, sincere and efficient in their professions. It said: "It must have come as a surprise to Morup who had learnt to live with sidelining and harassment and had no expectation of being honoured for his honesty someday in his life." Sonam Morup is a Superintendent Engineer in the PWD. He comes from a humble family of musicians that have traditionally been considered "untouchable" (even in the Buddhist region, musicians and blacksmiths were for centuries considered outcastes).
Morup, who has served for 30 years "honestly without amassing public money", told the magazine: "Some years back, I was told that my life was in danger due to my honesty, and the district administration had to position some policemen to guard me. But even then I never gave up my commitment to sincerity." He admits that his sincerity has been an obstacle for his own routine promotion "because in the PWD department employees suffer of red-tapism and irregularities". He candidly explained that since he had little time and money, he was not able to track his file for his due promotion on the basis of seniority, with the result that his promotion had been delayed for two years.
Morup likes his work: "It is our duty to work from 10 to four (the workings hours in Ladakh are reduced due to cold). If you work a little more than the required hours, you feel more satisfied at the end of the day. l always tell my juniors that ideally we should work one or two hours more to compensate for the time we might have wasted during the working hours."
There are millions of Morups who work for the good of the people in India. Why can't the national press highlight their trials, their pains and their satisfactions? Leh has taken the initiative, but why can't every district of India reward its cleanest civil servant annually? The main problem in India is that civil (meaning the citizens') servants have become Government servants. Until this changes, Bharat cannot give a close fight to Singapore for the "Most Honest Asian Nation" award.
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<b>Still counting: Akhand empire worth billions</b>
LUCKNOW, MARCH 22: Live life kingsize, that was UPâs former chief secretary Akhand Pratap Singhâs motto through life. The CBI, which has been questioning him at his palatial Vasant Kunj farmhouse in Delhi since 5.30 am yesterday, has come up against Singhâs wealth, <b>running into several hundred crores, in terms of property and assets</b>. .............
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http://news.indiainfo.com/2005/03/23/2303telgi1.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Telgi appears before court, urges for discharge
Wednesday, March 23 2005 20:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -
Mumbai: Abdul Karim Telgi, prime accused in fake stamp paper seizure case, was today (Mar 23, 2005) produced amidst tight security before a special CBI court which deferred the framing of charges to March 31 to decide his plea for discharge.
Appearing before the court, Telgi moved a discharge application through his lawyers.
Special Judge U D Salvi ruled that he would first decide on Telgi's plea for discharge before framing charges against him and two others in this case.
Telgi's lawyers, Jaideep Thakker and Vardhan Desai, argued that Telgi was not involved in selling of fake stamps in the said case. "The reports of the Indian Security Press that verified the seized stamp paper stated that stamps were genuine. Even the reports by Forensics Laboratory at Mumbai had confirmed the authenticity of the stamps," they submitted.
Thakker also argued that police, State CID, SIT and CBI, that have been carrying out the investigation in the fake stamp paper cases, have not made any recovery from Telgi.
Special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat opposed Telgi's discharge plea stating that Telgi had violated the laws by promising a company, Poornanad, that he would sell them special adhesive stamps, which were available only at the General Stamp Office counters located in downtown Fort and suburban Bandra.
"Telgi, being a licensed stamp vendor, should have known the laws pertaining to the special adhesive stamps," Gharat argued.
Two associates of Telgi, Ramratan Soni and Sanjay Gaikwad, booked in the same case, were also present in the court. Their lawyers would file discharge application this week which is expected to come up for hearing on March 31.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/mar/23shah.htm
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Did Maharashtra govt favour Shah Rukh?
March 24, 2005 00:42 IST
Last Updated: March 24, 2005 01:23 IST
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gopinath Munde on Wednesday alleged that film star Shah Rukh Khan was one of the several people whom the democratic Front government had favoured by allotting reserved land in Mumbai for residential purpose.
He demanded an inquiry into it.
Ten Thousand square feet of land in suburban Bandra, located next to the house of film star Shah Rukh Khan, was de-reserved by the DF government in 2003 and sold to the actor to expand his house, Munde told reporters in Mumbai.
The land was reserved for an art gallery in the development plan, he alleged.
Munde said in a letter to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh he has demanded a retired high court judge be asked to inquire into the matter.
Till the probe is completed, the development of these lands should be stayed, he said.
Shah Rukh Khan dubbed as 'false and baseless' Munde's allegations.
"I have never sought any favours from the government. The land I have was purchased from a private party and hence the question of buying the land from the government does not arise," Khan told PTI.
"The land was bought three-four years ago through the normal course of procedure by the architect. There was nothing illegal about the whole thing as has been made out," he said.
Munde also alleged that 67 pieces of land, which were meant for public utility, were de-reserved for residential purpose. There was massive corruption in land allotment, he added.
"Some of the lands in Andheri have gone to a well known real-estate group, while a PWD [Public Works Department] land in Ghatkopar, too, was allotted to a private builder for residential complex," he said.
Munde said he had raised the issue in the legislative assembly earlier last week following which Deshmukh had assured a probe into the matter provided a list of such lands was furnished.
Today he submitted the list to the CM's office, he added.
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