The full report of the committee constituted under home secretary N.N. Vohra to look into the nexus betweencriminals and politicians was never made public. It investigated the syndicates and Mafia organizations that haveestablished relations and are sheltered by politicians and government officials. The excerpts from the reportreleased in October 1993 tell that the government was aware of the gravity of the situation.
The report said: "The CBI director and the IB director have said that criminal gangs, armed militia,narcotics Mafia, smuggling gangs, illegal traders of drugs and economic lobbies have rapidly developed. Duringthe last few years they have established contacts with bureaucrats/govt. officials, politicians, media personsand non-govvernment sector in strategically sensitive places. Some of these syndicates have various internationalrelations including secret agencies.’
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The IB director had also given some examples - "In states like Bihar, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh thesegangs are given sanctuary by politicians in the party lines up to regional politicians and are protected bygovernment officials. Some politicians have become leaders of these gangs/armed gangs and have been elected toregional bodies, state assemblies and even the parliament in the past few years. As a result such elementshave acquired a considerable political influence which is disrupting government working and endangering life andproperty of common men. This is creating pessimism in the public…
"Some Mafia elements have taken up smuggling of narcotics and created a terrorism-narcotic networkespecially in states like Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The costs of fighting electionshave forced the politicians to nurture these elements, which has caused officials in deterrent/investigationagencies to make serious compromises. The disease has spread to almost every region in the country; coastaland border states are especially effected.’
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Translated from Outlook Saptahik, dated February 17, 2003
