Nemesis Nears

WHILE the nation was glued to the CBI's onslaught on Bihar chief minister Laloo Prasad Yadav for his role in the fodder scam last week, charges were framed against another breed of politicians. On May 6, additional sessions judge Ajit Bharihoke charged P.V. Narasimha Rao and 20 other top politicians with hatching a criminal conspiracy to save his government on July 28, 1993, by paying off MPs and engineering defections during an Opposition-sponsored no-trust vote. Scheduling the trial for May 14, the judge said there was enough "preliminary evidence" against Rao and others to file criminal conspiracy charges under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, thereby agreeing with the CBI contention that the former prime minister had handed out bribes. Bharihoke also categorised the accused into two groups: those who abetted the crime, and those who received bribes.

While Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MPs Suraj Mandal, Shibu Soren and Simon Marandi have been charged separately with "fabricating" false documents to show that the money was raised through donations, those accused of fostering the crime include Rao, Satish Sharma, Buta Singh, Veerappa Moily, V. Rajeshwar Rao (a relative of Narasimha Rao), Bhajan Lal, former MP H.M. Revanna and Bangalore-based liquor barons D. Adikesavulu and Thimme Gowda. There is yet another category of accused, including then MPs who voted against the no-trust: Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav, Ajit Singh, Anadi Charan Das, Ram Saran Yadav, Roshan Lal, Abhey Pra-tap Singh and Ghulam Mohammed Khan.

Rao was quick to react and moved the Delhi High Court on May 9, seeking quashing of charges and a stay on the trial court proceedings. He said as prime minister, he was "obliged and duty-bound to defend the government and also garner support from all quarters." As the court prepares to take up the appeal cases, the CBI says it has evidence to implicate Rao. According to the CBI, on March 24, 1993, Sharma hosted a party at his farmhouse, during which several suitcases were brought from his official residence. The next day, after visiting Rao, Buta called on the four JMM MPs to solicit their support. He arranged a meeting with Rao which was kept a closely-guarded secret; Mandal and Soren's guards and Mandal's driver were not allowed at Buta's house.

A day after Rao steered out of the no-confidence vote, five suitcases and five gunny bags stuffed with cash were unloaded at Mandal's house at 14-E, Ferozeshah Road. The next day, Marandi visited Mandal to take his share—three gunny bags and a suitcase. Another collection point was the house of R.K. Jaitley, a business associate of the leaders. Marandi and Shailendra Mahto, who turned approver, picked up two suitcases each from there.

Some new facts have also come to light. Apparently, a little-known Hindi weekly of Kota, Janardhana Paksh, first published the payoffs scam in its edition dated February 28, 1994, disclosing bank accounts of Mandal and Soren where the money had been stashed. Before the story was published, the editor, Manohar Parikh, contacted the PMO for Rao's reaction. "Before publishing the expose, he had written to Rao (called accused 1) to ascertain the veracity of these allegations. His statement was corroborated by a letter dated September 6, 1996, of R.K. Ghosh, director in the PMO, which said Parikh's letter had been received and was sent to R.K. Khandekar, then officer on special duty, on February 2, 1994. There is nothing on record to show any action taken by Khandekar. Parikh, on receiving no information till February 20, 1994, went ahead with the publication." 

Critical to the probe was the statement of B.N. Safaya, Sharma's private secretary, who named top industrialists who had provided the money. They include Mukesh Ambani, Shashi Ruia, Abhay Oswal, V.N. Dhoot and Prithviraj Jindal, frequent visitors to the Sharma house. Safaya recalls that Marandi came to the house on either July 30 or 31, asking for the money "promised by Sharma". Marandi collected Rs 10 lakh in a "cardboard box" the same evening.

Says the original petitioner, Ravinder Kumar: "I am confident Rao will be convicted." Chances are that when the trial begins, other details of the case may become public, leading to convictions as well.