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The Rediff Interview/ Ravindra Kumar

'The CBI did their best to save Rao'

Ravindra Kumar, who exposed the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MPs bribery case, in which former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao and Buta Singh were convicted on Friday, spoke to Senior Editor Sheela Bhatt in a telephone interview about how he obtained "clinching evidence of Rao's corruption."

Before we discuss the case, tell us something about yourself.

I was born and brought up in Delhi's Chandni Chowk. My father worked at the Delhi Electric Supply Company. Paramjit, my wife, is an editor in the Lok Sabha. We have three children. I am a graduate from Delhi university, I have a master's degree in commerce and a law degree.

I started practice in 1993 after a serious hand injury forced me to reduce my political activism. Basically, I am a political activist. I have won 700 prizes in debate competitions and in poetry recitals. I am a poet too. My book of poetry has been published.

Which are the issues you have fought for?

The first demonstration against the Bofors case was organised by me. I filed the first Public Interest Litigation on the Mandal issue, which helped get a stay on its implementation. I believe in socialism. I believe the poor must get their dues. Till date, I have filed 56 writs -- PILs -- in the high court and Supreme Court.

My most important writ petitions are related to Bofors, the JMM case, the Mandal issue, the MP's pension scheme. I have also filed a writ against the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation for embezzlement of Rs 52 crore. In that case the high court has issued a show cause notice to Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Vadera and Rahul Gandhi. The funds they got from the government should have been spent on social activities, instead they deposited the public money in the bank and the Gandhi family is earning the interest.

Who influenced you in your early years?

In my early years, Gandhiji influenced me and later, Brahmanandji. He was a personal assistant to Jayaprakash Narayan. He was my ideal.

I have a hunger for news. It started from my school days. The public library opposite Old Delhi station was my second home. By the year 1974, I had read most of the important books in that library. I participated in JP's Andolan actively. On March 6, 1974, I marched in that historic rally from Lal Killa (the Red Fort) to the Lok Sabha. I had a dream and I was ready to go to any extent to realise it.

How did the JMM case start?

The news was out in the open. When Narasimha Rao's government won the vote of confidence, people were openly talking about money changing hands amongst members of Parliament. Being the political animal I am, I took interest in the case. I was upset when I heard it all straight from the horse's mouth. I was observing the show closely.

Why me? Everyone in Delhi talked about it: How Rao won the confidence vote by indulging in horse trading, indulging in unheard of corruption. When I started investigating the matter, I got clinching evidence of Rao's corruption.

How? Who gave you the evidence?

My book of poetry, Khidki Se Kudta Jungle, had been published. I sent my book to many editors to be reviewed. One editor gave it away to a kabadiwallah from where it landed on the footpaths of Daryaganj. A second hand bookseller must have picked it up and from whom Miss Surajmani Stellakujar, a poetess herself, bought my book.

My address and telephone numbers were printed in the book. She called me.

Who was she? What did she want from you?

She is the principal of a higher secondary school. She wanted me to help get her poems published. I edited her poems and also found her a publisher. She introduced me to her friend, Captain Dilawar Singh. He was Ajit Singh's handyman. He told me everything, the whole story. He narrated to me how the confidence vote was won in Parliament with the power of money and by violating all the norms of parliamentary ethics. The captain told me, "The Congress paid Rs 25 crore to Ajit Singh through me."

Why did he reveal so much? Wasn't he taking a risk?

He was revengeful. He was to be paid Rs 10, Rs 15 lakh from that deal and Ajit Singh bucked. That made him angry.

What happened next?

Dilawar Singh introduced me to Harsharan Lal. He was a receptionist at the ITDC-run Lodhi Hotel in Delhi. He narrated the story of the MPs's corruption in more detail. He explained to me how the transactions to reimburse elected representatives of Parliament in return for their voting favourably took place. He knew everything.

How did you verify the information he provided?

Initially, I refused to believe him. I told him what he was talking about was bullshit, that such things are not possible, this level of corruption and money is undreamt of by anyone.

Harsharan then agreed to show me the bank accounts. In December 1996, he took me to the Naorojinagar branch of the Punjab National Bank. Harsharan gave me a printout of the bank accounts held here by the four JMM MPs. I cut it into half. I gave the bank officer Mr Sharma one half and requested him to verify the statement of accounts. After an hour he came back with the rest of the details which matched the counterpart I had. It was unbelievable!

Next came legal action?

Yes. On January 1, 1996, I mailed a letter to the CBI. I wrote to the agency, "These MPs have indulged in horse trading, MPs were bought by the Congress party under the leadership of Prime Minister Narasimha Rao."

I requested the CBI to take action against all the accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The CBI sat over it, they didn't take any action. My reminders didn't affect them. I was forced to go to court because of lack of action on their part. On February 21, I filed a writ which came on board on February 22. The court issued a limited notice to the CBI asking the agency to verify the JMM MP's accounts.

Who backed you in your fight?

My lawyer P N Lekhi. He has not charged me a penny. My colleague Vijay Chaudhari and a few personal friends were also with me. Nobody else supported me. The entire system was against me, including the media, the politicians, the CBI, the IB... etc.

I have spent Rs 7 lakh of my own on this case. I sold my flat in Delhi to fight this case.

What is the clinching evidence in this case?

Accounts of the JMM MPs. Voting was proposed on July 26, 1993. And it took place on July 27. And money was pouring in into the accounts of the JMM MPs on July 29, July 30 and on August 1. During these days, Rs 42 crore was deposited. Rao had told the event managers, "Anyhow get them."

What is the case against Rao?

In a criminal case, the law asks, 'Who is the beneficiary of the criminal act?' In this case, Rao's government was at stake. Rao was so excited that he forgot to vote! The court has taken note of this. Rao was so very assured that he would successfully buy the votes of the MPs that he did not cast his own vote as an MP for the survival of his own government!

Did you face any pressure? Any threats?

Many threats came my way as did many allurements. An advocate offered me Rs 5 crore not to depose on September 6, 1999 in the trial court. I have produced the tapes in court. In June 1996, Amar Singh, now a general secretary of the Samajwadi Party, offered me Rs 50 crore and two seats in Parliament. He approached me on behalf of Mr Rao. At that time, he was close to the Congress and to Rao. I did not file an affidavit on this matter because I did not want to divert attention from the main issue.

In 1996, when this case became public, even your credibility was questioned. Why?

That was inspired by the accused in the case. My act justifies my honesty, integrity and my commitment for cleanliness in public life.

What was the biggest setback in your fight?

This case has been like a see-saw. Two hundred and fifty six witnesses were listed in the case, out of which only 126 deposed before the court. And out of this 126, 47 witnesses turned hostile. Four witnesses were really disappointing. Captain Dilawar Singh, Harsharan Lal, Devendra Mukhia and a chartered accountant, Sushil Kumar, turned hostile after co-operating in the initial stages.

Mukhia was a self-claimed journalist and an eyewitness to many of the deals. Sushil Kumar had introduced and helped the JMM MPs open the bank accounts. The CBI claimed in court that he is untraceable, which is a blatant lie. He was present in the city when the CBI protected him in court.

What is your opinion about the CBI?

The CBI did everything possible to kill the case. They tried their best to tamper with the evidence gathered by us for the case. In this case, the CBI has not done anything to improve upon the ground work we had done. When the witnesses were turning hostile, the CBI did not make a proper case out of the fact. The CBI is a covering up agency, there should not be any doubt about this now. They did not do their duty, did not serve the people of India. They did their best to save Rao.

Please, I request all of you who doubt the merits of the case to note only one thing. Money cannot fly. The Punjab National Bank's officer has told the court that the money deposited in the bank by the JMM MPs belonged to the bank in Bangalore. This fact has been proved too. This point is very crucial in this criminal case. Both the banks have confirmed it. So who bought those notes physically to Delhi and why? And how did it end up in the hands of the JMM MPs?

Did you look Rao in the face either before or after the case?

I have only seen him in court. Yes, humne nazar milayi hai. I think he is a sensible person and an intellectual. He is caught in his own web. He had nothing to gain, he wanted to save his party's government and now, it seems as if his party is unfaithful and unkind to him.

What has been your wife's reaction to your involvement in this case?

My wife was very upset with me, she was worried something might happen to me. She used to tell me that these are powerful people, nothing is going to happen to them, no one can touch them etc. Today, she is very happy to hear the verdict. I told people in 1996 that the Congress leaders would be behind bars. People used to laugh at me, journalists didn't help me. Now, my stand is vindicated.

I am not a rich man, but I am hopeful. I don't have a car, I don't have a computer. I will have to ask my friends to give me a printout of this interview. My children go to a public school. I live with my father in his house. I can't afford the luxuries of life. But today, I am a winner.

Complete Coverage

The JMM bribery case: Chronology

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