WASHINGTON: Lalit Gadhia, the Baltimore Attomey who was exposed recently by the Baltimore Sun newspaper, is being investigated by the FBI and the Federal Election Commission for steering thousands of ‘mysterious’ dollars in illegal campaign contributions to a New Mexico Political Fund, This Fund was founded by an Ambassador Ray crony Subodh Chandra, authorities are baffled that fan account which never had more than 600 dollars was suddenly very active.

The money from the New Mexico Fund found its way into the campaign funds of different Congressmen who are members of the India Caucus.

According to the Baltimore Sun reporter Jim Haner, contributors who wrote checks for $1,000 or $500 to the Indian American Leadership Investment Fund ‘on the urging of Gadhia did not appear to have the means to make such large donations.” Jim Haner’s report also said the contributors’ included a college student who works in a Charles Street Bar, a sales clerk and a hotel desk attendant. At least three contributors said that they were approached by Gadhia, his nephew and other friends last fall and were asked to write checks to the TALIF as it ‘supported candidates for Congress with ties to India.’ The contributors were then ‘reimbursed in ‘cash,’ Proxy donations are prohibited by the Federal Election Commission rules.

Records containing false information, including nonexistent or out-of-date addresses for contributors were filed with the Federal Election Commission, according to the Baltimore Sun which also quoted Subodh Chandra as saying “LALIF never showed a bank balance of more than $600 in the preceding year,” but on October 31,1994 $34,900 in contributions poured in the LALIF coffer in ‘one day and all of it from the Baltimore area.

Weekly India Abroad said “Rumors are rife that the source of the money that was allegedly reimbursed to the contributors had an Indian Embassy connection.” When Ambassador Ray ‘was contacted by India Abroad, he is reported to have said:”Gadhia helped us but we did not give money to anybody.”

Dr. Amarjit Singh of the Washington based organization, Khalistan Affairs Center, said, “We know the brutal former governor of Indian occupied Punjab very well. We know him as the father of the draconian law ADA and the man who made a fortune from the secret state funds used for rewarding the Punjab police for killing Sikh youth in fake encounters. When he is around anything can happen!”

Article extracted from this publication >> June 23, 1995