NEW DELHI: A former Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officer, who claims he was removed for investigating Chandraswamy’s affairs, says the St Kitts case, if pursued, could damage “some of the most powerful people in the country.”

“AI} the cases that are mentioned in Connection with Chandraswamy are nothing before the St Kiliscase,” NK. Singh, who was investigating the case 1n, 1991 before being “shunted out” by the Chandra: Shekhar Government, said. Singh, who recently released a book called “The Plain Truth, Memoirs of 4 CBI Officer,” said, “Much more is involved here (St Kitts case) that needs 10 be exposed.” The book presents a detailed encounter the murky goings ‘on in Indian politics and bureaucracy.

The case relates 10 1989, when the then Opposition leader, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, was accused of having On illegal bank account worth $21 million in his son Ajeya Singh’s name, in the Caribbean Island of St Kitts, After V.P. Singh became Prime Minister, the CBI was asked to probe into the case, specially the role of Chandraswamy, who was allegedly involved in foreign bank documents to validate the bank account. “I think the St Kitts case ought to be investigated thoroughly to establish Chandraswamy’s role in it,” Singh said, who retired from CBI, on December 31, 1995, implied that the St Kitts case had not been taken to is logical conclusion because it could hurt some very influential people. Asked whether Chandraswamy was being protected by Prime Minister, P.V, Narasimha Rao, whose involvement In helping attestation of forged bank account documents bearing Ajeya Singhs signature has been frequently alleged, Singh raised counter questions, “Tell me of any scandal in whose context Rao is mentioned, which does not also mention Chandraswamy, be it the St Kitts case ‘or the Jain hawala case or the buying up of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MPs?” Although Singh did not directly speak of Rao’s nexus with Chandraswamy he referred to reports of the latter’s testimony before the Milap Chand Jain Commission investigating whether there was a larger conspiracy behind Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination. Singh spoke of, what he called “interference” from former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar, and his Law Minister, Subramanian Swamy, in early 1991, when he was investigating Chandraswamy in the St Kitts case. Chandraswamy was also being investigated for the allegations of swindling made by the UK businessman Pathak, “Chandraswamy came back from abroad only after Chandra Shekhar became the Prime Minister, He came back with an interim anticipatory bail which the Delhi High Court confirmed.” Singh said. He alleged that his five notices to Chandraswamy before that in connection with the St Kilts case had not been responded to, The High Court had disallowed him from travelling abroad while the St Kitts investigation was on. But Chandraswamy had received permission to go abroad in the Pathak case, To stop him from leaving the country, sometime in February and March of 1991, “I sent a CBI superintendent to Chandraswamy’s ashram,” Singh “said. ‘That evening, he said, he received frantic calls from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Although the Delhi High Court directed Chandraswamy, on April 1, that he should appear before the CBI, it was too late for Singh who was transferred, on March 26. Singh, defended the CBI said, “It is a fine organization with many dedicated, honest and impartial officers. Of course some of the recent judicial pronouncements on its working do not bring it under good light but by and large I have great respect for its professionalism,” he said.

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 15, 1996