NEW DELHI: The complainant in the cheating case which has landed Chandraswamy in Tihar jail has alleged that P.V, Narasimha Rao’ was also involved in the negotiations for the same deal. UK based NRI ‘Lakhu bhai Pathak said that Rao, then the External Affairs Minister, promised him to get him the contracts, for which he paid Chandraswamy. ‘$100,000, Pathak added that Rao was with Chandraswamy when the deal was struck in Manhattan, New York, in December, 1983.

‘The Gujarat born businessman, who made his millions by selling Pathak pickles and spices in Britain, said that he trusted Rao, who said, “Swamiji has told me everything. Your work will be done.”

“I agreed to pay the amount because of Rao’s presence. Otherwise | would have avoided Chandraswamy, I was always suspicious of him,” he added. ‘The Prime Minister’s Office brushed aside Pathak’s allegations as “mischievous and malicious.” P.V. R.K. Prasad, Media advisor to the Prime Minister said that Pathak’s statements are “politically motivated, keeping in mind the postelection scenario,” “I can see that this is a part of a big conspiracy.

‘The issue they are trying to make is that there exists a nexus between the Prime Minister and Chandraswamy.

It is to malign the Prime Minister at the time of election. I am asking you a simple question: what was he doing all these years? Why is he throwing mud at the time of elections?” said Prasad.

According to Pathak, Chandraswamy promised to get him contracts for importing special quality steel from Australia and of railway engines and newsprint from Canada.

 “In 1983, just four five days before Christmas, I met Rao at Holoron House Hotel in New York.

‘When I met Rao, he hardly spoke much, But both of them (Rao and Chandraswamy) gave me a feeling of security that they can get things done in the Indian government and not only that, both of them are part of the same business groups,” he said. “I don’t know what was the deal between the two, but somehow I got an inkling that both were together to make some: money,” he added, Pathak said that Chandraswamy had boasted to him way back in 1983 that Rao would become the Prime Minister of India.

Chandraswamy, said Pathak, told him that it was in the hands of the Foreign Minister to do the desired work, “He kept repeating that Narasimha Rao is answerable to the people of India. So, it’s not the question of money, but your business standing,” he added. In a long interview, Pathak revealed that Chandraswamy convinced him that he was talking to ‘a powerful person (Rao), who could get things done. He said that Chandraswamy had demanded $5 lakh, saying that Rao is responsible 10. The Lok Sabha, he is answerable. ‘Anyone can ask, why some

Foreigner is selected for such big business deals. Prasad, however, denied that the Prime Minister ever met Pathak.

“As far as our knowledge goes, it is not true that the Prime Minister knows. Pathak,” he added. Chandraswamy and his associate Kailash Nath Aggarwal alias Mama were arrested in Madras, after the Delhi Chief Metropolitan Magistrate is tied non bailable warrant against them for duping Pathak of $100,000 in December 1993. Pathak said he didn’t mention the name of Rao in his statement to the CBI because his solicitor, the staff at India House in London and a CBI Officer advised against it, He added that Rao was protecting ‘Chandraswamy all these years, Prasad, however, denies this. “It’s one thing to know him, but protection is absolutely ruled out,” said Prasad. The food tycoon, who retired from Pathak Foods, the business he founded and now run by his son Kirti and daughter-in-law Meena, spends his time ‘between his residences in Lancashire and Mexico, He has been constantly writing to Prime Ministers in India, ever since 1984 to get the authorities to book Chandraswamy.

Article extracted from this publication >>May 8, 1996

 

Article extracted from this publication >>