NEW DELHI: In a dramatic development, Lok Sabha member Sailendra Mahato, formerly with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, accused Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao of bribing him along with three other JMM MPs to vote against the no confidence motion against his Government in

Mr. Mahato, who has subsequently joined the BJP, claimed that he was paid Rs 40 lakhs in cash by his former party leader Suraj Mandal after the no confidence motion was defeated in the Lok Sabha. Mr, Mandal got the money from Mr, Rao, Mr. Mahatc alleged, Congress leader Buta Singh was instrumental in organizing a meeting with the Prime Minister and four IMM Lok Sabha members.

Mr, Mahato’s revelations at a Press conference organized by leader of the Opposition A.B. Vajpayee on Monday in the Parliament House, has added a new dimension to a public interest litigation seeking probe into a local bank account of JMM leader Suraj Mandal, The petitioner, Ravindra Kumar, had accused Mr, Mandal of receiving money from Mr. Rao for Saving his Government and depositing Rs 30 lakhs on one single day.

The Delhi High Court has issued Rotices to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to explain the position the case.

However, Congress Spokesperson V.N. Gadgil emphatically denied the allegations made by Mr. Mahato and Mr, Vajpayee. “They are false, baseless and politically motivated. A person, who joined the BJP is making allegations,” Mr. Gadgil sarcastically remarked.

‘The spokesperson said that the BJP “is shattered and rattled by the hawala scandal, therefore they are making irresponsible and reckless allegations. People will attach no importance or give any credibility to such allegations,” Mr. Gadgil added.

Asked whether the Congress party would initiate action against the persons leveling allegations, he said, “some allegations are beneath contempt.”

In fact, Mr, Vajpayee set the tone of the Press conference by launching a personalized attack on Mr, Rao. He said the party would bring privilege motion against Mr. Rao on the issue. “He is accused of subverting the parliamentary norms,” Mr. Vajpayee said. Mr, Jethmalani also followed suit by demanding that Mr. Rao be prosecuted for “highest denigration of parliamentary process.”

Mr. Vajpayce substantiated his stunning disclosures by releasing a two Page statement of Mr. Mahato and details of bank accounts of other JMM leaders, including the party JMM chief Shibu Soren, Suraj Mandal, Simon Marandi.

Apparently, Mr, Mahato’s statement appears to be damaging as it preempts any attempt to give a clean chit to Mr Rao There were tense moments in the press conference as Mr. Vajpayee asked Mr, Mahato to narrate the whole sequence of events. Mr, Mahato who appeared quite nervous started reading his statement which was well drafted in English and Hindi. As per Mr, Mandal “Two days before the formal voting on the no confidence motion in July, 1993, Shri Suraj Mandal MP, phoned me and asked me to come to Shri Shibu Soren’s residence.”

Mr, Mahato said he along with his colleagues from the party, Shibu Soren, Suraj Mandal and Simon Marandi were taken to Prime Minister by Buta Singh who was playing as troubleshooter, “I vividly remember the Prime Minister sitting in a contemplative mood resting his right Cheek on his right-hand” the statement reveals upon settling, the Jharkhand issue in the JMM’s favor on the condition if four JMM MP’s voted against the no confidence motion. “He (Mr. Rao) said that what Bota Singh and Suraj Mandalji have agreed upon will be carried out” Mr, Mahato said, adding that he was unable to understand the full implications of Mr, Rao’s statement then. About three days after the vote on the no confidence motion, Mr. Mahato accepted Rs 40 lakh from Suraj Mandal, who explained that the money came from Mr. Rao. “We did not then realize that there was anything wrong and we decided to deposit the money in a bank” said Mr. Mahato feigning ignorance. “’I still have a balance to my credit,” he said in candid confession, Explaining the legal aspect Mr, Mahato’s statement, Mr.Jchthmalani said Mr. Mahato’s statement had “intrinsic corroboration” and this statement with Hawala dealer S.K. Jain’s statement put the Government in the dock.

Article extracted from this publication >>  February 28, 1996