NEW DELHI: The Vohra Committee report has made startling revelations about the nexus between criminal gangs, police, bureaucracy and politicians in various parts of the country.
The committee, in its report tabled in Parliament, last week, mentioned in detail the dangerous role of mafia, which was virtually running a parallel government in various parts of the country, pushing the state apparatus into irrelevance.
The report recommended the immediate setting up of an institution to effectively deal with the menace.
The committee, headed by a former Union Home Secretary, N.N. Vohra, was constituted by the government in July 1993 to go into the nexus between the politicians, bureaucracy and the underworld. The five member committee, submitted its report in October 1993.
The report says that in states like Bihar, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, the mafia gangs enjoyed the patronage of local level politicians, cutting across party lines and the protection of government functionaries. Some politicians had become the leaders of these gangs or armed sense and over the years, had got themselves elected to local bodies. State Assemblies and Parliament.
Consequently, such elements had acquired considerable political clout, seriously jeopardizing the smooth functioning of the administration and the safety of life and property of the common man.
The report elaborated on how an organized crime syndicate or mafia generally commenced its activities by indulging in petty crimes at the local level, mostly relating to illicit distillation, gambling, organized statta and prostitution in larger towns, In Port towns their activities involved ‘smuggling and sale of imported goods and progressively graduated to narcotics and drugs trafficking. In bigger cities, the main sources of income related to real estate and forcible occupation of land or buildings. Over time, the money and power thus acquired was used for forging contacts with bureaucrats and politicians, which followed expansion of activities with impunity. The money power ‘was used to develop a network of muscle power which was also used by the politicians during elections.
Besides Vohra, the other four members of the committee included the Secretary, Ministry of Defense, Director, Intelligence Bureau, Director, CBI, and Joint Secretary, Policy Planning, Ministry of Home.
The committee report was tabled in the Lok Sabha by the Home Minister, S.B. Chavan, while in the RajyaSabha it was tabled by the Minister of State for Home, P.M. Sayeed.
According to the director of the CBI, the crime syndicates had become a law unto themselves. Even in smaller towns and rural areas, muscle men were ruling the roost. Hired assassins had become part of these organizations, The nexus between the criminal Bangs, police, bureaucracy and politicians had come out clearly in various parts of the country.
The existing criminal justice system, which was essentially designed to deal with the individual offence or crime, was unable to handle the acclivities of the mafia. The provisions of law with regard to economic offences were weak and there were insurmountable difficulties in attaching or confiscating property acquired through mafia activities. The CBI director has given the example of one Iqbal Mirchi of Bombay, who till late 1980s was merely a visitor to passenger and carrier ships to obtain liquor and cigarettes for selling the same at profit. It was only in the last few years that he had expanded his activities to real estate.
In the 12page report, Vohra suggested setting up of a nodal point to which all existing intelligence and enforcement agencies could promptly Pass on any information relating to the activities of crime syndicates. However, it would have to be ensured that the information available with the nodal set up was used strictly and. entirely for stringent action against the crime syndicate without allowing any scope whatever of its being exploited for political gain.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 11, 1995
