Paradox Of BJP-Sponsored Anti-Corruption Crusade

The paradox of much-acclaimed anti-corruption crusade by the ruling BJP at the centre is evident from the decision by the BJP-led Raghubar Das Government in Jharkhand. A section of tainted officials have been entrusted with the task of conducting purported probes against each other and that too, on the order of the Chief Minister that he issued in the State Assembly while reacting to the opposition demand for investigation of the tainted officials.

The State Assembly that is in session at present has been witnessing pandemonium over the dubious role played by State Chief Secretary, Rajbala Verma, Director General of Police, D K Pandey and Additional Director General of Special Branch, Anurag Gupta. While the Chief Secretary is being accused of different graft cases, the DGP is facing the wrath of the opposition for the fake encounter of 12 innocents in the garb of anti-Naxal operation. The Additional DG faces charges of working in tandem with cash-for-vote accused in the Rajya Sabha elections in 2016.

Ironically, as per the Chief Minister’s order, the Chief Secretary will probe charges against ADG Special Branch and the ADG will investigate the matter against the Chief Secretary. It has been alleged that the CS has not replied to about 30 notices by the CBI in connection with the 23-year old infamous fodder scam while discharging her duty as Deputy Commissioner of Chaibasa district during the days of united Bihar (before the formation of the separate Jharkhand State that was carved out of Bihar). However, the Government directed her to reply to the CBI queries in 15 days. Subsequently, it was alleged that she had demanded kickbacks from a banker to release funds. The matter pertaining to the kickbacks was referred to the ADG for investigation.

On the other hand, acting upon the complaint lodged by former Chief Minister and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha Chief, Babulal Marandi, the Election Commission has directed the State Government to lodge FIRs against the ADG of Special Branch and then Political Advisor to the Chief Minister, Ajay Kumar for his dubious role in the Rajya Sabha elections of 2016. In its letter dated June 13, 2017, the Election Commission said that it had received complaints from Marandi alleging interference in the exercise of electoral rights of some of the electors by Anurag Gupta, ADG, Jharkhand and Ajay Kumar, Political Advisor to the Chief Minister. The Commission further said: “By way of preliminary verification, the Commission got written statements from two MLAs mentioned in the complaint of Sh Marandi viz, Sh Chamra Linda and Smt Nirmala Devi. From their written statements, it appears that there is prima facie case to proceed against the accused persons who are also public servants.”

The letter said, “The Commission has directed that proceedings for departmental disciplinary action under the relevant service and disciplinary rules may be initiated immediately against the accused persons for misuse of official position, interference in elections, breach of conduct/service rules, etc. Further, since the matter also relates to bribery of voters and corruption, appropriate proceedings under the Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 17 1B and 17 1C of IPC may also be initiated.”

The Commission has also asked the State Government to keep it posted with development in the case. Incidentally, the Chief Secretary is supposed to comply with the EC order in the light of the fact that the letter was addressed to her. The Commission has, however, reportedly refused to have any information about the action by the State Government in the matter.

Likewise, investigation into the alleged fake encounter case against the DGP is being conducted by the State Crime and Investigation Department that ironically falls under purview of the DGP and aspersion is, as such, cast over fair investigation of the case. Since the matter is pending in the Jharkhand High Court, the CID has justified the encounter in its submission while filing its status report to the court.

Twelve Maoists, including four children, were killed in a fierce encounter with Palamu police and Cobra CRPF at Bokaria village under Satbarwa Thana of Palamu district in 2015 soon after Pandey was appointed DGP of the State. However, the operation was subsequently alleged to be fake and a CID probe was ordered. But the CID is alleged to have kept the matter in abeyance for about two years and a PIL was filed in the Jharkhand High Court in this regard. When M V Rao was recently made Additional DG of CID, he was supposed to have re-opened the file at the behest of Jharkhand High Court. But before he came out with some startling facts pertaining to the alleged fake encounter, he was transferred within three weeks of his joining to Delhi. Subsequently, an interlocutory petition was filed in the High Court against Rao’s premature transfer.

Significantly, besides the Opposition, a Cabinet Minister in the Raghubar Das Government, Saryu Rai has also been vociferously demanding action against the tainted officials after writing to the Chief Minister in this regard time and again.

More, contrary to normal legal practices to keep tainted authorities away from enquiry into corruption charges against other officials, Rajbala Verma was entrusted with the task to look into the matter pertaining to the prosecution sanction sought by the anti-corruption wing (State Vigilance) of the Sate against the then Managing Director of Jharkhand State Housing Board, Avinash Kumar for alleged irregularities in the board. True to expectation, the Chief Secretary did not find him guilty and he was recently granted a clean chit in the case. Earlier, in a case pertaining to a hooch tragedy that claimed about two dozen lives in the State, the State Government did not hold Avinash Kumar – who is incharge of the liquor business in the State being the Excise Commissioner of Jharkhand – responsible for the mishap and only junior functionaries were axed for the crisis. In fact, he was favoured by Raghubar Das too by granting him a clean chit in 2015 in a case pertaining to CBI raids at his official residence in Ranchi in 2009 and subsequent departmental proceedings on the recommendation of the investigating agency. He was accused of amassing wealth disproportionate to his known source of income.

To top it all, the pertinent question is what achievements will Chief Minister Raghubar Das recount at the end of the on-going wrongdoing by lending support to officials who are ‘birds of a feather’ and flocking together to subvert the system? It is, in fact, neither in consonance with the much-acclaimed anti-corruption crusade carried out by his party high-command nor does it augur well for his eventual claim to hold on to power again after completion of his present stint.