WASHINGTON: A Maryland court on Tuesday sentenced a leading Indian American lawyer and political activist, Lalit Radhia, to three months’ imprisonment for laundering funds provided by the Indian embassy in congressional campaign contributions ostensibly to influence the US Congress on Indo Pak issues. Gadhia was also sentenced to six months of home detention and one and a half years of probation. US District Judge Frederic N Small kin, imposing the rare prison term for an offence that normally would entail a fine, said: “A cynical America needs its faith in the political system restored.” According to prosecutor Joseph L. Evans, Gadhia received more than $46,000in $100 bills from Indian embassy official Devendra Singh, who had the rank of a minister in the embassy but was apparently doing intelligence work. He was transferred to India and made Inspector General of Police in Rajasthan. The money was given to Gadhia for distribution among 20 congressional candidates, considered sympathetic to India’s interests, in the months leading up to the November 1994 elections. The candidates included Senators Paul S Shoshones (DMd), Charles S Robb (DVa), and Reps Benjamin L Cardin (DMd) and Stony H Hoyer (DMd). Gadhia and several friends, according to Evans, solicited Cheques, some for as much as $1, 000,from dozens of straw contrg#i.* tors, who were reimbur: cash by Gadhia from the money furnished by Singh.
Most of the contributors were members of the Indian American community in the Baltimore area, including waiters, busboys and kitchen helpers at Indian restaurants, Cheques totaling $ 31,400 were sent on to the Indian American Leadership Fund, apolitical action committee, for distribution among candidates. An additional $15,000 was contributed directly to various candidates. Embassy spokesman Shiv Mukherjee said that the Indian government always acted within the bounds of diplomatic propriety. Lalit H Gadhia, 58, emigrated from India to become ‘a key fundraiser and strategist in Democratic circles, including Parris N Glendenning’s successful campaign for governor in 1994.
“Some short period of incarceration is necessary, the judge Said in a courtroom packed with Gadhia’s friends and supporters. He said that the prison it would act both as a see other political operatives and as a Reassurance to the voters that people on the inside could not manipulate the system and get away with it.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 21, 1996
