NEW DELHI: Rapped by the Supreme Court for the slow pace of investigations in the Rs 65crore hawala case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is expected to cast its net wider now. Likely to figure in the catch are more Union ministers, Leaders of the Opposition parties and bureaucrats. Sources claim the CBI plans to take action well before the next hearing on January 30, And this tie, the axe may fall on the Urban Development Minister, Mr. R.K. Dhawa, the Civil Supplies Minister, Mr. Buta Singh, the Textiles Minister, Mr. Kamal Nath, and Mr. Rajesh Pilot, besides others.

The leaders of the Opposition who are likely to figure in the third round of charge sheets include Mr. S.R Bommai, president of the Janata Dal, Mr, and Madan Lal Khurana, Chief Minister of Delhi, Mr. H.K. Khan, a former Secretary, Petroleum and Chemical a former Chief Secretary of Haryan: Mr.B.S. Ojha, Mr. V.K. Khanna and others. The fate of Mr. N.D. Tewari, president of the breakaway Congress, hinges on the evidence that the sleuths hope to collect within the next two days.

Mr. Dhawa was Private Secretary to the then Prime Minister, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, when he is alleged to have received Rs. 50 lakhs as stated in the Jain diary. He held the rank of joint secretary. Sources in the CBI believe that the payment was made for extraneous considerations; Similarly, Mr. Buta Singh was the Union Home Minister in the Rajiv regime when these payments were alleged to have been made, as mentioned in the diary.

Mr. Rajesh Pilot was neither an MP, nor a minister when he figured in the diary. Therefore, he does not fall in the category of a public servant and charges against him cannot be made under the Prevention of Corruption ‘Act. However, the CBI can still proceed against him, depending on the political weather. The names of Pranab Kumar Mukherjee, External Affairs Minister, Mrs. Krishna Sahi, and Minister of State for Civil Supplies, C.K. Jaffer Sharief, a former Railway Minister and others also figure in the diary but the CBI has reportedly not found anything tangible till now.

Sources in the CBI pointed out that in some cases the “circumstantial evidence” is so strong that action cannot be avoided, The CBI sought the approval of the President for prosecuting three Union ministers Balram Jakhar, Madhavrao Scindia and V.C. Shukla last week only after it was “satisfied about the evidence on record obtained during the course of investigation,” said a senior official connected with the probe, ‘The investigating agency is learnt to have found close links between Mr.V.C. Shukla, Water Resources Minister, and the Jains, The principal accused, S.K. Jain, stood guarantee for the Shuklas for a huge amount. He is also a director of the hospital which Mr. Shukla is constructing, Similarly, Mr. Scindia has been unable to explain certain transactions ‘The Union Agriculture Minister, Mr Balram Jakhar, is also being asked to explain the purchase of a few acres of Jand during the period when payment have been shown against his name in the diary. ACBI team of nearly 200 persons is now working round the clock to com. plate the investigations at the earliest.

Article extracted from this publication >>  January 24, 1996