Ahabitue of the capital’s embassy circuit, Surendra (S.K.) Jain is known as muchfor his flashy ward robe and flam-boyant lifestyle as for his wheeling-dealing.That’s a long way for someone who grew in middle-class Modelbasti and went to schoolin Old Delhi’s Sadar Bazar.
The Jain khandaan’s roots are in Najafgarh, where they owned considerableacreage in the days of the Raj. Patriarch Joti Prasad Jain moved to Modelbasti after heretired from the military accounts service. His neighbours knew him as ‘RaiSahib’, an honorific bestowed by the British. After Independence, Joti Prasad dabbledin politics and was elected to the Delhi Municipal Committee on a Congress ticket. Hispolitical links would later benefit his sons—Balwant, Surendra, Narendra and Arvind.The boys attended the Hiralal Jain School, where playmates dubbed Surendra as‘Bahurani’ (daughter-in-law) and Arvind as ‘Nargis’ because of theireffeminate looks.
Balwant (B.R.) Jain, an engineer and the oldest scion, initiated the family intobusiness with a metal fabrication unit on the Yamuna waterfront in the ’50s. But itwas ‘Bahurani’ who would assure the Jain family of its place in corporatehistory. Balwant moved to Bhilai in 1960, soon after the Bhilai Steel Plant was set up andbecame a contractor for the company. Like the Shahs and the Kedias in Chhattisgarh, theJains assiduously cultivated local politicians and their Bhilai Engineering Corporation(BEC) boomed.
By 1990, the Jain business empire included steel, fertiliser, cement and foodprocessing units. They were international brokers in the power and steel sector and werealso involved in rice exports. BEC Impex and BEC Foods were reportedly S.K. Jain’sbrainchild. The entire family, including its remote branches, was involved in the runningof the fast-growing business empire.
His father and brother’s contacts gave Surendra easy access to rare fied circlesand he soon acquired a reputation as a legendary fixer—a man who could swinganything. He was a regular at corporate and embassy parties, surrounded by favour-seekersand businessmen. His loud waistcoats were his trademark, sitting uneasily on a portlytorso encased in brightly-hued shirts.
His 10-acre farmhouse at Mehrauli (estimated at Rs 50 crore) is reportedly a miracle ofimaginative landscaping with waterfalls, fountains, statues, a mini-zoo, huts andrivulets—all a mere backdrop for his palatial home, filled with crystal and marble.The villa was the venue for his collegiate daughter Geetika’s annual birthday bash.Over 400 people are said to have attended the last one. The swimming pool was covered tocreate a dance floor and a popular DJ brought in. A spotlight followed Geetika wherevershe went, as champagne flowed and the choicest gourmet (strictly vegetarian) cuisine waslaid out. Geetika, who changes cars every year, was gifted a Lexus.
In 1991, the grime beneath the gilt began to show. In May, the CBI raided S.K.Jain’s farmhouse and other premises. The famous ‘Jain diaries’ was seized.In September, Chhattisgarh labour leader Shankar Guha Niyogi was murdered. When his widow,Asha, pointed accusingly at Bhilai Industrialists’ Association Chairman B.R. Jain, noone was surprised. Jain quickly took anticipatory bail, but the circumstantial evidencelinking chief accused Paltan Mallah to Bhilai’s top businessmen continued to pile up.
Now 72, Balwant Jain lives in Bhilai and is still struggling with Niyogi’s legacy,in the shape of the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha (CMM). In an effort to project himself as aphilanthropist, he has organised a district-level cricket match, patronised a technicaltraining school, announced a hospital and even hosted a ‘Govinda Nite’ featuringthe popular filmstar. "If he is such a humanitarian, why doesn’t he instal apollution-control unit in his factories?" asks CMM activist Sheikh Ansar.
‘Rai Sahib’ quit Modelbasti for Jangpura Extension two decades ago. He isnearly 100 but still active. When his wife died two years ago, a phalanx of politiciansturned up to express condolences.
The denizens of Modelbasti follow the family’s fortunes with avid interest anddeep sympathy for ‘Rai Sahib’. "It can’t be true. If Rai Sahib’ssons were involved in anti-national activities, he would not spare them," declared asenior citizen. But will the CBI?
