India hit by Corruption Bombs

October 10, 2012, 9:45 a.m. ET
India Plans Changes in Anti-Corruption Law By ROMIT GUHA
NEW DELHI--India's government is planning to amend the country's anti-corruption law to plug its loopholes as well as to add provisions to book corporates that fail to prevent bribery and protect honest officials, the prime minister said Wednesday.
The reforms initiated in the early 1990s did reduce many corrupt practices, but the subsequent, faster economic growth led to newer opportunities for corruption, Dr. Manmohan Singh said in a speech to the federal agencies that investigate corruption cases.
While the corrupt should be "relentlessly pursued," the innocent shouldn't be harassed, he said.
Dr. Singh's speech comes in the backdrop of a slew of corruption allegations faced by the Congress party-led coalition government on issues ranging from allocation of radio bandwidth to the grant of coal blocks and the organization of the Commonwealth Games in 2010. The most recent issue involves allegations of corruption against the relative of a top ruling-party leader.
The government has denied any wrongdoing in all these cases. These allegations have left the government scrambling to contain the damage to its image rather than work on its legislative agenda. Many say officials were wary of taking decisions fearing they may come under the scanner at a later date or get pulled up by courts.
The government has promised not to protect those involved in wrongdoing. Several senior government officials and lawmakers, including a former telecoms minister in Dr. Singh's Cabinet, are facing criminal charges of conspiracy. They have all denied the charges.
"Experience has also shown that big-ticket corruption is mostly related to operations by large commercial entities," Dr. Singh said. "It is therefore also proposed to include corporate failure to prevent bribery as a new offence."
He said the amendment will seek to tackle a loophole in the existing law which doesn't have any provisions to prosecute the bribe provider.
New Delhi is working on a system to transfer benefits under social-sector programs directly to the bank accounts of people, instead of distributing them through government agencies, he said. It also plans to pay cash to consumers instead of some subsidies it currently gives to companies for selling their products at state-set prices. While reiterating the importance of fighting corruption, Dr. Singh said the "mindless atmosphere of negativity and pessimism" that is created over corruption can only damage the country's image and hit at the morale of the government.
India Plans Changes in Anti-Corruption Law

Army pays Fake Encounter victim's family Rs 10 Lakhs

1997 CUSTODIAL DISAPPEARANCE CASE
Army approaches HC with compensation money for victim’s family
Ishfaq Tantry Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 9, 2012
Complying with the court directions in a 1997 custodial disappearance case, the Army has approached the High Court Registry with a cheque of Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the victim’s family.
Azizi Begum (63), the mother of Mushtaq Ahmad Dar of the Bemina Boatman Colony in Srinagar, had alleged that her son was taken into custody by 20 Grenadiers Unit of the Army in April, 1997, and was not seen thereafter. She had approached the High Court and filed a habeas corpus petition which was finally disposed of in her favour on March 25, 2011. Holding 20 Grenadiers of the Army responsible for the “enforced disappearance” of Mushtaq, the High court had directed the Union Defence Secretary to pay her a compensation of Rs 10 lakh.
However, as the Defence Ministry failed to comply with the HC orders and did not pay the compensation amount, Azizi Begum approached the High Court with a contempt petition in December, 2011. Subsequently, the court on August 23 this year directed the Defense Ministry to deposit the said amount along with the interest in five weeks.
“On September 29, we approached the High Court Registry with a cheque of Rs 10 lakh plus the interest amount for depositing it with the bank,” the standing counsel for the Union of India, Karnail Singh Wazir, told The Tribune. “However, we were directed by the registry to file an application with the High Court for depositing the money as according to the registry, the due date for depositing the money was September 28,” he said, adding that afterwards, an application had been filed before the High Court, which was listed this week.
The court verdict, a first of its kind in any disappearance case, was based on an inquiry into the incident conducted by the Additional Sessions Judge, Srinagar, which had held the Army responsible for the “enforced disappearance” of Dar.
2011 COURT ORDERS: Holding 20 Grenadiers of the Army responsible for the “enforced disappearance” of Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, the High court had directed the Union Defense Secretary to pay the victim’s mother, Azizi Begum, a compensation of Rs 10 lakh.
Army approaches HC with compensation money for victim’s family

Adarsh Scam: Judicial Commission being bombed by lies!

Had no idea of kin having flats in Adarsh: Chavan
Thursday, October, 04 2012 - 17:35
MUMBAI:Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, whose three relatives got flats in Adarsh, today claimed before the judicial commission probing the scam he came to know of their membership in the housing society only after the news of alleged irregularities was broken by the media.
"It was at the end of October 2010 that I came to know that some of my relatives had applied for membership in Adarsh society and the same was granted to them," he told the two-member inquiry commission led by Justice (retd) J A Patil set up by the Maharashtra government to probe the Adarsh scam.
Chavan's mother-in-law Bhagvati Sharma, his father-in- law's brother Madanlal Sharma and his sister-in-law Seema Sharma had flats in the building.
Chavan, who had to step down as chief minister after it emerged that his relatives had flats in the scam-tainted housing society, appeared before the commission today for the second time.
He had earlier deposed before the commission in June to answer allegations against him of bestowing undue favours while granting permission for construction of 31-storey Adarsh building in high-end Colaba in south Mumbai.
Replying to questions put forth by commission's counsel Dipan Merchant, Chavan said he was not aware that his relatives had applied for membership in the Adarsh society.
In his brief appearance that lasted barely 10 minutes, Chavan said he was also not aware if Seema Sharma's application for membership of the society was rejected in 2004 but approved in 2008 when he was the chief minister.
He said soon after he came to know of the membership of his relatives "at the end of October 2010", they relinquished it on October 29 the same year.
Had no idea of kin having flats in Adarsh: Chavan

DRDO is Bedrock of Corruption: Needs thorough overhaul

The Missile that Cannot Fire – Long delays, cost escalation damage DRDO’s reputation Posted on May 4, 2012 by admin
Amarnath K, Menon and Gaurav C. Sawant – April 13, 2012 – India Today
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was set up in 1958 with a vision to “provide our defence services a decisive edge by equipping them with internationally competitive systems and solutions”. The DRDO has clearly failed in its mission.
There is no bigger indictment of India‘s premier organisation for research and development in military hardware than the fact that 54 years after its establishment, India still imports 70 per cent of its equipment requirements. In 1997, India best known defence bureaucrat and the then scientific adviser to defence minister, APJ Abdul Kalam, had said that India should bring the share of imports in defence equipment purchases down to 30 per cent by 2005. No progress has been made. The percentage is still 70-30 in favour of imports.
DRDO passes its expertise to NTRO – I
All the stalwarts of DRDO who were master of manipulating government funds, misinterpretation of government rules having expertise in inculcating a negative attitude towards self reliance and always planning commission and omission through bulk purchases were shifted to NTRO an agency established by the government after KARGIL debacle. The modus operandi of DRDO & NTRO experts/bosses are twin in appearance, if CBI enquires in depth the enquiry will reveal that the entire procurement/ recruitment system are identical.
Deccan Herald
Under veil of secrecy, elint outfit gobbles funds Chandan Nandy, Bangalore, Mar 20, 2012, DHNS:
Less spying and more misuse of resources in elite security set-up
Comment: DRDO under MOD is festering with corruption. The bureaucrats have evolved with the best brains to spin Tax payers money and make easy money through money laundering cycle perfected by Criminal Politicians- Difficult to unearth. DRDO chief is a stooge positioned by MOD
Click here for more on DRDO

Tracking Tatra: How are Chidambaram and Vayalar connected?

BJP digs up ‘scam’ against PC, Vayalar sons. Are PC and Ravi sons also treading the Tatra tracks? BEML chief quizzed by CBI
CBI seeks Interpol help to probe Tatra scam links
Neeraj Chauhan, TNN | Apr 17, 2012, 03.47AM IST
NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation, probing the Tatra scam spread across four countries including a tax haven, has approached Interpol to get details of companies related to Vectra chief Ravinder Rishi from these four countries. Agency sources said they had moved Interpol to avoid the delay of replies through Letter Rogatories (LRs).

The agency has asked Interpol to provide details of at least five companies in these countries - Czech Republic, Slovakia, UK and Liechtenstein. Meanwhile, agency sources said they also questioned former BEML director (finance) V Mohan in connection with the Tatra deal while present BEML chief V R S Natarajan will be questioned on Tuesday. Sources said Natarajan has confirmed that he will be joining questioning on Tuesday.

The agency, through Interpol, is looking for shareholding pattern of these companies reportedly owned by Ravi Rishi apart from contracts signed by them with the Tatra AS (Czech) and Tatra Sipox (Slovakia). A senior officer said, "There is a web of companies which were apparently used by Ravi Rishi to procure different parts of Tatra trucks and then supplied to Bharat Earth Movers Limited."

The agency has not been able to talk to Army achief General V K Singh but they are expecting that they will arrange a meeting with him by end of this week. Gen Singh, who was allegedly offered a bribe on September 22, 2010 by former Lt Gen Tejinder Singh on behalf of Ravi Rishi, had given his written complaint last week.

The agency is probing why BEML decided to procure Tatra parts from Tatra Sipox (UK), which was a private company, from 1997 when it was doing so through Omnipol (a PSU in Czech Republic, which was providing Tatra parts since 1986). Also, as first reported by TOI, why the BEML officials signed the MoU with Tatra Sipox (UK) in a hurried manner on June 14, 1997 in Bangalore, three days after they had a meeting with Tatra Sipox (UK) and its associate companies' officials in Slovakia.

Officials said that apart from taking help from Interpol, they will also send LRs to these four countries and seek documents.

One more company, in which Ravi Rishi reportedly has stakes - Venus Projects Ltd, is also under the CBI scanner as this company was allegedly used by him for purchasing spare parts for the Tatra trucks.

CBI has registered a case naming Rishi and unnamed officials of defence ministry, Army and BEML on March 30 for alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating and relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. CBI is probing alleged irregularities in assigning of supply from Czechoslovakia-based Tatra, with which the agreement was originally signed in 1986, to the Tatra-Sipox UK owned by Rishi in 1997 showing it as original equipment manufacturer and the fully-owned subsidiary of Czech company, they said.
CBI seeks Interpol to unravel Tatra links
Army chief’s letter to PM reflects frustrations: Vayalar Ravi
BJP digs up ‘scam’ against PC, Vayalar sons
Scamsters will never tell the truth unless administered the Truth Pill
click here to read more
Comment: How are Ravi Vayalar, Chidambaram and their children entangled in the Tatra scam? Ravi has inked treaties with tax haven countries. He holds the key to secret bank accounts. Is the CBI wasting time with Interpol when information is right here in the country?

Is Home Minister walking diplomatic tight rope?

The portions in colour hit the nail on the head. The bureaucrats have no urgency and no accountability with the result our police and security agencies are severely handicapped.
Same is the case with the Defence Services!
Till funtioning of IAS and Finance is reformed, our governance and security will NOT repeat NOT come to required standards.
Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh (Retd)

Israel attack: Is Home Min walking diplomatic tight rope?
February 14, 2012 21:56 IST
While Home Minister P Chidambaram has declared the Israel embassy car bombing as a terror strike, he has opted not to name the perpetrators of the attack. Anil Chowdhry wonders why...
One watched with concern the explosion in an Israeli embassy car near the prime minister's 7 Race Course house in New Delhi [ Images ] on television news channels on Monday. On Tuesday, a similar incident took place in Bangkok -- the Thailand capital was rocked by three explosions.
While the Israeli establishment was prompt and forthright in holding Hezbollah and the Iranian government responsible for the attacks, Home Minister P Chidambaram has opted to not name any outfit. Whether he is clueless or trying to walk the diplomatic tight rope is anybody's guess.
The vent sets me thinking as an ex-security person whether such incidents, apparently caused by highly trained and motivated terrorists can be prevented?
Well, in my view, it is difficult for the police to prevent them, keeping in mind the volume of persons at any public place in the city and the chaotic condition of our roads. Detection of such cases, of course, depends a lot on public cooperation and technical and forensic expertise available to the police of the metropolis that is attacked.
Well-planned deep penetration intelligence operations backed by technical intelligence inputs are very complex and need dexterous handling by experienced sleuths. Moreover, they need full support from the government to succeed in preventing terrorist attacks in public places.
In both these areas our police and intelligence agencies are seriously handicapped by tight bureaucratic controls in the matter of recruitments, procurements, and purchases. I don't know about the other metropolitan police forces in the country but in Delhi, the police commissioner is rather tied up with several proposals from the home ministry aimed at making the police and intelligence agencies effective to counter terrorist organisations.
Files keep making their endless journeys up and down the corridors of North Block between the Union Territory -- police divisions of the MHA to the expenditure division of the Ministry of Finance, all located on the same floors. And the blame game between the state police and central intelligence agencies invariably starts after such incidents. In Delhi it is less pronounced since both report to MHA.
It is unimaginable that a capital city with a high level of threat from religious terrorist groups does not have in position a CCTV network even in its high security zone. It is yet not known if the Delhi police has been able to get hold of the number plate and photographs of the motorbike and its rider who is believed to have stuck the magnetic explosive device on the embassy car.
I know that the IB's counter-terrorism wings and the operations unit of the Delhi police are manned by some of the best intelligence officers, but the lack of adequate technical intelligence support is a handicap for both.
Let's hope that the HM, who has shown that he is a man of action and not words, is able to quickly fill this critical gap.
(The writer is a retired member of the Indian Police Service.)
Is Home Min walking diplomatic tight rope

Will Indian MP's holding Black Money in Swiss Banks Resign?

Swiss central bank head resigns after scandal
The embattled head of the Swiss central bank, Philipp Hildebrand, stepped down on Monday after being caught up in a scandal over foreign exchange trades by his wife.
"Aware of the critical situation our country is currently facing, and given my responsibility as chairman... I decided to resign with immediate effect," Hildebrand said at a press conference in Bern.
Hildebrand published emails on the SNB website to show he had no knowledge of the transaction until after the fact, but in resigning he said he was unable to "to provide irrefutable evidence" to totally prove his innocence.
Press reports claimed last week that Hildebrand's wife Kashya profited after buying USD 504,000 last August, just weeks before an intervention by the SNB to halt the rise of the franc -- a move that saw the dollar rise significantly against the Swiss currency.
"I failed my husband by not considering the perception of a 'conflict of interest' created by my purchase of dollars," Ms Hildebrand said in a statement issued on Monday.
The scandal took a political turn with revelations that the government last month received banking documents concerning Hildebrand's personal trades from Christoph Blocher, chief of the conservative Swiss People's Party (UDC), the largest in the Federal Assembly.
Swiss central bank head resigns after scandal

Greedy Generals Subvert Military Land Titles

Generals Vij and Deepak are they the perpetuators of this Puzzle?
Puzzling land title system behind Adarsh scam: Jaipal Reddy
New Delhi, Nov 27 (PTI)
Against the backdrop of Adarsh scam, the Union government today blamed the complex land title system for increasing number of such cases and favoured urgent reforms in the sector to make it transparent and effective.
"The recent scandal relating to Adarsh housing society is a classic example. Nobody knows to whom the land belongs," Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy said here at a seminar on Guaranteed Land and Property Certification system.
He said, "Can there be a more sorry example of land titling. I am not talking of misuse by the people belonging to every important walks of life -- politicians, defence forces, bureaucrats...I am not referring to the scandal part of the thing. Today nobody knows to whom the property belongs."
The seminar was organised to discuss ways for introducing property certification system in the country. He said the system is being exploited by people like Haji Mastan (land mafia) and there is a nexus between politicians and officials.
"Thanks to the problem of urban land titling, we have Haji Mastans (land mafia) in every towns. Most of the politicians, policemen, officials... are hand in glove when it comes to urban land," Reddy said, adding, "In the last ten years, mining land and urban land have become best source of money making. It is difficult to find a non-disputed land."
He said, "Land titling is a ticklish question not only in urban area, but also in rural areas. Even in pre-Independent India it took decades to settle the land suit and that situation remains (till today)." Since urbanisation is growing apace it is difficult to distinguish rural and urban land, he said.
Referring Nandigram, the minister said there is need for a comprehensive law for guaranteed land titles. "We saw the problem in Nandigram where land owners were in Kolkata and somebody else was the tenant. Today no body knows to whom the property belongs. In my view, land titles pose most legal puzzle to our system."
Hoping that there will be a way forward, he said, "The subject is with the state government and not with the Centre. Let us find a solution. Let us take a few small steps." The Centre has already set up a working group and is developing a model land title for the states. The model will be provided to the state so that they can adopt a modern, effective and transparent land title certification system, Urban Development Secretary Navin Kumar said.
Puzzling land title system behind Adarsh scam- Deccan Herald Report

Tailpiece
Court-martialled officer not to get post-retirement benefits
Army sacks guilty General in Sukhna scam
New Delhi/Guwahati, Dec 3, DHNS:
Former military secretary Lt Gen Avadesh Prakash was on Saturday dismissed from service after he was found guilty on three counts in a land scam at the Sukhna military station in West Bengal in 2008.
Sixty-one-year-old Prakash is the third Lt Gen rank officer to be court-martialled and the second to be sacked.
As Prakash has already retired from service on January 31, 2010, as per the Army Act, the dismissal means he will not get any post-retirement benefits like pension, medical facility and provident fund or be able to retain the rank and status of Lt General. He also automatically stands stripped off all his medals.
The order by the military court will be sent for confirmation to the eastern army commander, the convening authority of the General Court Martial in the case.
The order has to be signed by the Army chief to come into effect and Lt Gen Prakash can appeal against it in the civilian higher judiciary
Sukhna Scamster dismissed

Delhi HC blast: Investigators still grappling for clues

8 Sep, 2011, 06.23PM IST, IANS
NEW DELHI: Investigators probing the Delhi High Court bombing were on Thursday grappling for clues to identify the perpetrators, a day after a powerful explosion outside the complex killed 12 people.

"Investigation teams of the NIA ( National Investigation Agency) are vigorously pursuing various leads with the cooperation of Delhi Police," U.K. Bansal, secretary (internal security) in the home ministry, told reporters.
He said forensic experts summoned from Gujarat and Hyderabad to assist in the investigation again scanned the scene of the crime Thursday.
"They have found some more material which may have relevance to the investigation," Bansal said, indicating that there was no concrete evidence related to the explosives used in the bomb.
He, however, said traces of a mixture of nitrate and PETN, (pentaerythritol trinitrate), have been found but that was not conlcusive.
"We will let you know about the forenic report when it comes," he said.

The NIA has also detained some suspects related to the bombing, including three in Jammu and Kashmir.
Those detained include two owners of a cyber cafe in Kishtwar district of the state who were questioned about the person who had sent an email claiming responsibility for the blast.
The email, attributed to the Harkat-ul Jehadi Islami, was found to have been been sent from Global Internet Cafe at Malik Market in Kishtwar, once a militancy hub in Jammu region.
On questioning the owners of the cafe, investigators garnered some information about how the sender of the email looked.
"We have got some details about the physical features of the person. Police parties have been deputed to trace him," a senior police officer working on the investigations told IANS.
Bansal also said that "some information pointing to a Kashmir connection with the email received" was being pursued with the help of the Kashmir police.
The email theory got a new twist on the day after the blast as another email attributed to the 'Indian Muzahiddin' claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Written in Hindi, it said the outfit had timed the blast on the day when the crowd outside the court was huge.
"We have done it," it said and threatened to carry out another blast at a shopping mall in Delhi next Tuesday.
The email remains unverified, even as Bansal said it was being studied by the intelligence agencies.
Meanwhile, teams of anti-terrorism squads from the neighbouring states have also reached Delhi "for discussions and consultations with NIA and Delhi Police in connection with the investigation", said Bansal.
Struggling for any concrete clue, the NIA also announced a reward of Rs.500,000 for anyone providing clues about the suspects.
"The NIA has announced a reward of Rs.5 lakh for anyone giving any information to follow up the case. As far as investigation is concerned, it is going on. Delhi Police and NIA are coordinating," Home Secretary R.K. Singh told reporters.
Police also junked the theory that a missing car may hold a clue to solving the blast puzzle after the vehicle was found in Faridabad, on the outskirts of the capital.
The car -- a silver Santro with registration number DL9CA 6034) -- was seen by eyewitnesses near the blast site just before the explosion.
The car, owned by National Insurance Company employee Inshu Minocha, was stolen in 2009.
"The car has nothing to do with the bomb blast," said a police officer.
The NIA also detained a suspect from Uttar Pradesh. He was identified with his first name Shehzad only. Source said he resembled with the sketch of the suspects prepared by police.
The agency also ruled out the possibility that the attackers may have been among the 12 people who died in the blast, after all the victims were identified.
It has also carried out background checks on the over 91 injured and confirmed that none were suspects.
Delhi HC blast: Investigators still grappling for clues

Anna Hazare arouses the Nation's Conscience

Dear Colleagues,
It is a historic day for India. The peoples’ power has been recognized. Our heartiest congratulations go to Anna Hazare for bringing about this momentous change. He has been an epitome of steely resolve, stoic determination and civilized behavior. The government failed to see what had become abundantly clear to the whole world. Had they shown more perspicacity and grace the physical suffering of this true crusader could have been greatly ameliorated.
A battle has been won. The war will be truly won only when the bill is finally enacted, a Lokpal is in place and people start feeling relief from the cancer of corruption. But a beginning has been made, and a very good one. Knowing Anna as the country knows him now, he will carry the baton till the finishing line. We wish him good health and long life. The IESM was happy to be fully visible in the event and its support and contribution was duly recognized.
If events of past two weeks are any indicator, it should lead to another positive; Delhi police may become more people friendly. Hopefully.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM

Witnessing power of people: Army chief

Press Trust Of India Mumbai, August 25, 2011
Indian Army Chief General V K Singh feels that the support the anti-corruption movement is getting in the country is an indication of 'the power of democracy and power of the people'. "We are passing through an interesting and turbulent period. Interesting in terms of how we are witnessing the power of democracy, the power of the people.. Interesting in terms of how we are seeing our leadership cope up with these things..," he said.

The Army chief was speaking at an interaction with members of the entertainment industry, organised by former MP Santosh Bhartiya in suburban Juhu last night.

"A lot of things are happening, from Kashmir to Kanyamkumari and from Gujarat to the most north-eastern part. There is a certain amount of unrest in the country, for various reasons -- some sponsored, some genuine (and) some which started with genuine thing and then got into something else.

"The theme is only one -- how do we take the nation forward from the morass, the 'daldal' that we are in.... It is not who is leading the movement but it is why it has come to this stage," he said.

The Army chief equated corruption to a hydra-headed monster. "Because we all are involved in its thriving. If we introspect, we will see that at one point or another, we are all involved in it," he said.

"When the Naxalite movement (issue) was presented to us, we were very clear in our minds that it is a socio-economic problem, a problem created by bad governance," he said.
Witnessing power of people: Army chief
Random Comments
Ram Gulrajani 19 hours ago
I am glad to see the comment of Army Chief on peoples' movement led by Anna Hazare. I wish the Chief will also comment on many other things going wrong in the country through a nexus between politicians and babus. It is this nexus which is responsbile for most of the ills in the country. It is a pity that because Defence Forces have acepted to serve under the civil rule and have renounced their right to descent/retort, that they have been discriminated against, their dignity trampled, their emoluments curtailed, their heroes, veterans, widows shabbly treated. All because our Chiefs have kept their mouth shut. I think it is time the Army Chief periodically gave a statement on the State Of The Nation to make sure politicians and babus know the mind of the Defence Forces and accept them as the strongest pillar in the democracy because of which we enjoy internal and external security coupled with freedom.

Lalrohit 1 day ago
The Army chief should first be cleaning up his area of operation.In the Indian Army itself there is widespread corruption in the procurement of medicines. The jawan's don't treated with the best quality of medicines, but with medicines of generic type....which are next to garbage. There is wide spread corruption of Army postings in the J&K area. Posting's are sold to the higest bidder. Army Chief shud be aware of his area of jurisdiction. Same type of corruptions are still found in the appts made in Public Sector enterprise like SAIL,Coal India, ONGC etc. There 3 dept are heavy corrupted area of the federal govt. Mines area are filled up with people who's main intentions are to grab the post by hook or crook. CBI is a useless govt entity. Only excellant in cleaning up the corrupt acts of our USELESS/ CORRUPT/ IRRESPONSIBLE minsiters. The P.M shud first clean up those dept's first....then talk about the other aspects.In India the gap between high & poor people is just too huge....THANKS CORRUPTION IN INDIA.

Read what Ms Neelam Nath tells Veterans before retiring on August 31, 2011
Ms Neelam Nath Secretary Ex Servicemen Welfare in the GOI is going to retire on August 31, 2011. She is an IAS officer of 1975 batch who belongs to the Jharkhand cadre. Ms Neelam Nath
Why the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare should be disbanded

Happy 65th Independence Day: Should tryst with democracy end?

By R Shankar, India Syndicate, 13/08/2011
Should tryst with democracy end?
Comment: Has the time come for India’s tryst with democracy to either end or change?

As India celebrates her 65th Independence Day and has become a mature `senior citizen', has the time come to rethink on the way the nation is being governed? Has democracy lost its sheen, its soul, its meaning and its very purpose? Has the DNA of the form of governance been so distorted and mutilated that the nation is no longer a democracy in the true sense?

The fist course correction to Indian democracy was tried out during the Emergency in 1975. But the timing was mistake, the purpose a bigger mistake and the way it was implanted the biggest. It was done to save Indira Gandhi from being dethroned, not the nation. Well, the dark days of democracy are history now. But we are now faced with bigger threats to democracy.

Here are the threats:
Electables and Unelectables
Very few honest and upright persons can ever enter the portals of the Parliament as an elected member. If one wants to become an MP, he or she will need the following `qualifications': a criminal record, a huge bank balance (preferably black money), family backing or backing of religious communities.

The Congress has accused Gandhian Anna Hazare as being an `unelectable' voice. Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari went on record to say that Hazare is "unelectable" and "if this democracy faces its greatest peril from someone, it is from the tyranny of the unelected and the unelectable".

Can honest and upright men like Anna Hazare, Abdul Kalam, NR Narayana Murthy or Kiran Bedi get elected? Does that mean that they do not fit into the framework of a truly democratic polity?

The answer lies here: In the present Parliament, 300 are billionaires and 180 millionaires. over 150 MPs face criminal charges with over 70 of them facing serious charges ranging from murder to rape and kidnapping to cheating.

Add to this people like Mayawati who wants Rs 22 crore to refurbish her mansion in Lucknow; the Bellary brothers who flouted every rule to mint money in crores through illegal mining and irreversibly change the very ecology of the town; and, till recently, they were `honourable' ministers in the Yeddyurappa cabinet in Karnataka. Sons of a poor constable, the Reddy brothers used to `helihop' from Bellary to Bangalore for a dine-out. And there is A Raja, Kanimozhi, Kalmadi, Lalu, Jagan and the like whose main job was to make money by flouting laws. And, they are all law-makers!

On the unelectables, all that the Congress has to do is to jog its memory. Even Mahatma Gandhi's candidate was once an `unelectable' man. In 1939, Gandhiji put up Pattabhi Sitaramaiah as his candidate for the Congress presidentship. He lost to Subhash Chandra Bose and a crestfallen Gandhiji had said that Sitaramaiah's defeat was his (Gandhiji's) defeat. The Congress made it so difficult for Bose to function that he had to resign a few months later.
Read more... Click here

Mumbai Terror Attack 13 July 2011 update

14 Jul, 2011, 02.55AM IST,IANS
Mumbai terror attack: Mobile network jammed after blasts
MUMBAI: Thousands of people in Mumbai had difficulty in contacting their near and dear ones as the mobile network was jammed soon after the triple blasts in the city.

Though police said they have not asked the service providers for any such service, experts said that anxious people calling their relatives and friends could have resulted in the networks getting jammed. The situation eased considerably after 10 p.m.

Twenty-one people were killed Wednesday evening in three bomb attacks in Mumbai's Dadar West, Zaveri Bazar and Opera House. Over 140 people were injured.
Meanwhile, The city's King Edward Memorial Hospital, which is treating eight people who were injured in the serial blasts Wednesday evening, was under tight security. Media persons were not allowed to enter the hospital.
More than a dozen armed police personnel were deployed outside the hospital, while some officers and constables are keeping a vigil inside.

"Lots of people are coming because they don't know where their relatives are being treated and apart from them others are also coming. So we have to make sure that the right people are getting entry into the hospital for security reasons," said an official. The notice board outside the hospital, which is located in Parel, has listed the names of eight people who got injured in the blasts in Zaveri Bazara, Opera House and Dadar.

A doctor at the hospital, Prashant Bangar told IANS: "Three of the eight were very serious. One had a very serious injury, one had abdominal injury and the other had fractures. The first two are kept in the ICU after operation."

A wardboy said that "so far there has been no casualty here". Sixty-two-year-old Dhananjay Adhikari was rushed to the hospital after he got a splinter in his stomach in the blast at the Opera House. "I went to Opera House for personal work and blast happened very near to me. I saw people being blown away and dying," said Adhikari who is recuperating after getting first aid. His son arrived in the hospital to take care of him.
Mumbai terror attack: Mobile network jammed after blasts
Photos Courtesy: Triple 'terror' blasts kill 21 in Mumbai

...

Reforms accelerates black money transfer to Offshore financial Centers

Can the Supreme Court Ferret out the Money Laundering Route
Corruption Cost India $462 Billion As An Illegal Capital Flow
From BOB Goswami

INDIA NEWS - Asia’s one of the most fast developing nations India has coughed up more than $460bn since Independence on illegal capital flow, funneling corrupt riches money to overseas banks widened the gap between rich and poor. According to a new report, illegal money through various sleaze exercises like tax evasion, crime and others have founded strong base of inequalities irrespective of rapid growth of its economy.

US-based group Global Financial Integrity has published its reports, showing the illegitimate outflows of wealth to overseas robustly increased after economic reforms began in 1991. The group based in Washington has also revealed the detail analysis of cross-border flow of illegal money around the world.

The shadowy projection of mounting economy actually masquerades the poor state of governance in India since Independence in 1947. The ironical economical growth of nation in reality disguises the start term of financial cost of tax evasion, corruption, and other illicit financial practices in India.

Findings of Global Financial Integrity:

India’s $462bn wealth has gone astray in illicit outflows of money between 1948, a year after Independence, and 2008.

The capital outflow is more than twice of India’s external debt of $230bn.

The total illegal capital flight out to overseas is equal to 16.6% of its GDP.

After the economic reforms in 1991, 68% of India's capital loss occurred.

The main guilty are private organizations and high net-worth individuals.

Indian companies moved money from developed country banks to "offshore financial centers" (OFCs) increased from 36.4% in 1995 to 54.2% in 2009.

Dev Kar, a former International Monetary Fund economist said that the illegal money that consists of India’s underground economy drains out in foreign lands. According to him, India’s underground economy has been believed to sum up 50% of the country’s GDP - $640bn at the end of 2008.

The report is based on a World Bank model to estimate India’s missing wealth. Mr. Kar warned that the figure could be more alarming as it didn’t include other illegal transit such as smuggling and cash transfer outside the financial system.
Corruption Cost India $462 Billion As An Illegal Capital Flow
Related post in the blog
Greek crisis is a warning signal for India?

The Matrix of Indians Laundering Black Money

Let black money remain in Swiss banks: Kejriwal
Sunday, February 27, 2011, 12:04
New Delhi: Eminent social activist and Magsaysay award winner Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the black money stashed in Swiss bank by Indians should be left there as it will never be properly used if it comes back to the country.
"Let the Indian money in Swiss bank remain there, at least it is safe. If it comes to India, it won’t be used for development but will go in corrupt hands," Kejriwal said at a press conference here.
"If it comes to India under present laws, in absence of any strong anti-corruption law, it will be lost to corruption," he said.
The activist was in the national capital, along with Anna Hazare, Kiran Bedi and Swami Agnivesh to press for the formulation of a strong Lokpal Bill, or anti-graft legislation.
"It was money meant for development, but if it comes back it won't be used for development. As soon as the government started inquiry on Hasan (Ali Khan), he shifted a major amount of money. Now the government is looking for it," he said.
The activist stressed that under the present laws, the investigating agencies were working under those accused of corruption.
To start an investigation, the Central Bureau of Investigation needs permission from those against whom it is supposed to act, he said.
Let black money remain in Swiss banks: Kejriwal

Black money drives real estate and housing
Our black money is here, not in Switzerland: Swaminathan SA Aiyar
The government is signing agreements with many countries to access more information on foreign bank accounts. The very signing will warn crooks to transfer their funds to chains of corporations in lightly taxed places ranging from Liechtenstein to Cayman Islands and Mauritius to Bermuda. Once laundered through a dozen corporations in a dozen tax havens, money becomes white.
Some businessmen may park large sums temporarily in Swiss banks pending better deployment. Some politicians may not yet be financial savvy and may be content keeping large sums in Swiss banks. These will be exceptional cases. The bulk of black money abroad is in financial assets across the globe.
Where exactly? Nobody knows. But one of the best places in which to invest money is India, not Switzerland or the US or any western destination. Housing prices in the US doubled after 2000 and that was called a bubble, but housing prices in India rose almost ten-fold. Declarations by politicians of their assets show a huge preference for real estate over all other assets.
The Dow Jones index in New York is barely higher today than in 2000, but the Bombay sensex is up six-fold. Interest rates on Indian government bonds are 8% against 3% in the US and Germany. Clearly India is one of the best investment destinations in the world. Income tax rates today are modest and there is no tax on dividends and capital gains.
So, enormous sums of black money that once went abroad have returned in white form over the last two decades. These flows may have helped the Indian economy grow faster. They have certainly helped push up land and stock prices to dizzy heights, and election spending too.
India now gets $60 billion annually of remittances from NRIs, and up to $50 billion from portfolio inflows. A significant part of this must be black money returning as white. Some inflows come as NRI bank deposits in India.
Our black money is here, not in Switzerland: Swaminathan SA Aiyar- click here to read more

काला धन, मनी लॉन्ड्रिंग, बेनामी गुण

इतना फॉरवर्ड करो की एक आन्दोलन बन जाये
“दर्द होता रहा छटपटाते रहे, आईने॒से सदा चोट खाते रहे, वो वतन बेचकर मुस्कुराते रहे हम वतन के लिए॒सिर कटाते रहे”
280 लाख करोड़ का सवाल है ...
भारतीय गरीब है लेकिन भारत देश कभी गरीब नहीं रहा"* ये कहना है स्विस बैंक के डाइरेक्टर का. स्विस बैंक के डाइरेक्टर ने यह भी कहा है कि भारत का लगभग 280 लाख करोड़ रुपये उनके स्विस बैंक में जमा है. ये रकम इतनी है कि भारत का आने वाले 30 सालों का बजट बिना टैक्स के बनाया जा सकता है.
या यूँ कहें कि 60 करोड़ रोजगार के अवसर दिए जा सकते है. या यूँ भी कह सकते है कि भारत के किसी भी गाँव से दिल्ली तक 4 लेन रोड बनाया जा सकता है.
ऐसा भी कह सकते है कि 500 से ज्यादा सामाजिक प्रोजेक्ट पूर्ण किये जा सकते है. ये रकम इतनी ज्यादा है कि अगर हर भारतीय को 2000 रुपये हर महीने भी दिए जाये तो 60 साल तक ख़त्म ना हो. यानी भारत को किसी वर्ल्ड बैंक से लोन लेने कि कोई जरुरत नहीं है. जरा सोचिये ... हमारे भ्रष्ट राजनेताओं और नोकरशाहों ने कैसे देश को
लूटा है और ये लूट का सिलसिला अभी तक 2011 तक जारी है. इस सिलसिले को अब रोकना बहुत ज्यादा जरूरी हो गया है. अंग्रेजो ने हमारे भारत पर करीब 200 सालो तक राज करके करीब 1 लाख करोड़ रुपये लूटा.
मगर आजादी के केवल 64 सालों में हमारे भ्रस्टाचार ने 280 लाख करोड़ लूटा है. एक तरफ 200 साल में 1 लाख करोड़ है और दूसरी तरफ केवल 64 सालों में 280 लाख करोड़ है. यानि हर साल लगभग 4.37 लाख करोड़, या हर महीने करीब 36 हजार करोड़ भारतीय मुद्रा स्विस बैंक में इन भ्रष्ट लोगों द्वारा जमा करवाई गई है.
भारत को किसी वर्ल्ड बैंक के लोन की कोई दरकार नहीं है. सोचो की कितना पैसा हमारे भ्रष्ट राजनेताओं और उच्च अधिकारीयों ने ब्लाक करके रखा हुआ है.
हमे भ्रस्ट राजनेताओं और भ्रष्ट अधिकारीयों के खिलाफ जाने का पूर्ण अधिकार है.हाल ही में हुवे घोटालों का आप सभी को पता ही है - CWG घोटाला, २ जी स्पेक्ट्रुम घोटाला , आदर्श होउसिंग घोटाला ... और ना जाने कौन कौन से घोटाले अभी उजागर होने वाले है ........
इसे भी इतना फॉरवर्ड करो की पूरा भारत इसे पढ़े ... और एक आन्दोलन बन जाये
Govt seeks public views online on black money issue
Press Trust of India, Updated: June 15, 2011 17:50 IST 

No spunk to condemn or nerve to support Lokpal Bill

Dear Veterans,
Here's a good article for all to introspect and do something. Felt like fwd it to you just because it is so different. You may also share it with other friends if so desire.
Regards,
Hitesh

Dear All,
As the crusade against corruption rages, those feeling challenged by the groundswell of public support for the campaign are getting jittery. As we move on, different thoughts come to mind. No doubt the politicians, bureaucrats and judges will fight tooth and nail to see that the effectiveness of Lokpal Bill is reduced to the minimum level. A consensus draft emanating from the Joint Drafting Committee is highly improbable. Even if a miracle happens and the Committee does agree on a commonly agreed draft, all political parties are going to fight it unitedly and maul it on the floor of the House (Parliament) before passing a dysfunctional institution. Referendum may be the right weapon to force the Parliament to accept what is urgently needed in national interest.

The BJP is supporting the Baba, not his demands and measures against Black Money or corruption. All parties are stunned at the spontaneity and size of public support for Anna Hazare. No one has the spunk to condemn their demands; no one has the nerve to support these either! They are busy innovating tricks. The Baba's campaign appears to have been already hijacked in a manner that will shift focus from the main issue - corruption.

In the article click here, I have tried to analyse some practical aspects concerning all of us and proposed some measures that the civil society might consider. Your comments and advice can be of even higher value.
Regards,
Col Karan Kharb Retd
Pranab criticizes civil society for undermining democratic institutions
Doublespeak: PM, judiciary should be under Lokpal's ambit: Digvijay
Question: Will India have a toothless Lokpal Bill in the immediate Future? Many commissions and committees are daily instituted to delay and negate the Lokpal Bill! Enactment of the toothless Bill will lead to more dramatics in Parliament!
Lokpal Bill on death bed
The bottomline: No Lokpal Bill on the lines proposed by Team Anna; a watered-down bill may be presented to Parliament; no talks or commitments to Baba Ramdev; unite political parties by harping on parliamentary supremacy. In short, no freedom from corruption.

Indian Swiss Accounts will be disclosed

WikiLeaks will out Indian Swiss accounts: Assange
Press Trust of India, Updated: April 26, 2011 16:49 IST

New Delhi: In comments that could fuel a fresh controversy over the black money issue, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange today said there are Indian names in the Swiss bank data list that are going to be made public.

"Yes, there are Indian names in the data that we have already published or are going to publish. I can't remember specifically whether there are Indian names in the coming publication. But I have read Indian names," Assange told a private TV channel.

Indicating that there are bigwigs among the Indians having their accounts in Swiss banks, he said, "Similarly, in these private Swiss banking concerns, where you need at least a million dollar, which is a significant amount of money...not an average Indian..."

Asked whether the names will come at any point, he said on "that, you should absolutely not lose hope". He, however, declined to reveal anything more on the issue at this stage.

Noting that he has come to know through a report that there are more Indian deposits in the Swiss banks than any other nationality, Assange said, "there is no reason why India should not be aggressive."

Praising the German government for its aggressive approach to unearth black money stashed offshore, he said that India "should be more aggressive because India seems like it is losing per capita much more tax than Germany."

Assange alleged that Indian government's response to the WikiLeaks cables was "one of the worst in the world" and a "clear attempt to mislead the nation on what the cables were". He said that the response by the Indian government left a lot to be desired.

Assange also dismissed contention of the Indian government that accords on double taxation were coming in the way of tracking the trail of black money. "Double taxation does not have anything to do with asset hiding. It doesn't simply cover asset hiding," he said.

Assange said that the issue of stashing black money in foreign banks was much worse than just local corruption as when money is pushed offshore, "...then every time they are selling rupees and the result is that the currency of the nation is debased...everything for all Indians become more expensive as a result of that transfer."

Assange had earlier claimed that he was handed over documents of bank accounts by a former banker Rudolf Elmer and the whistleblower also claimed that the names in the documents came from "US, Britain, Germany, Austria and Asia - from all over," and include "business people, politicians, people who have made their living in the arts and multinational conglomerates - from both sides of the Atlantic".
Read more at: Swiss Terror: Swiss Secret Accounts- NDTV

Ex Servicemen boost Anti- Corruption Rally

The Anti- Corruption Rally on 01 May 2011, at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi
Dear Friends,
Jai Hind.
The planned Anti-corruption Rally, at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, on 01 May 11, went off very well. From small children to very senior citizen– people from all age groups were there.
The march from Jantar Mantar began at 6.00 PM and the last batch reached India Gate around 7.30 PM. Each and everyone taking part in the march was fully motivated, full of josh and highly disciplined. My rough guess is that length of the column on road was 2 km plus. After most of the persons marching reached India Gate, some of the participants took part in ‘Nukkad Dramas’. The rally ended with candle lighting at India Gate. There were large number of organisations seen distributing drinking water among the persons attending the rally. Very large number of media satellite stations, camera men and reporters were deployed at Jantar Mantar, India Gate and all along the route. Surprisingly actual coverage in print media and TV was negligible. Obviously– the media has succumbed to Government pressure.
I had taken some photographs of the rally, some of which are reproduced below.
Due to very little space in between the marching batches and hardly any raised point available in the area or along the route – the desired effect cannot be achieved by these photographs. Vande Matram
In service of Indian Military Veterans
Chander Kamboj

Osama's killing proof that 26/11 terrorists in Pak: Chidambaram

India on Monday said the killing of global terrorist Osama bin Laden was a matter of grave concern as it proved that terrorists belonging to different groups find sanctuary in Pakistan.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said in a statement that perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks, including the controllers and handlers of the terrorists, continue to be sheltered in Pakistan.
He said that earlier today the US government informed New Delhi that Osama bin Laden had been killed by security forces somewhere "deep inside Pakistan."
"After the September 11, 2001 terror attack, the US had a reason to seek Osama bin Laden and bring him and his accomplices to justice," the statement said.
"We take note with grave concern that part of the statement in which President (Barack) Obama said that the fire fight in which Osama bin Laden was killed took place in Abbotabad 'deep inside Pakistan'.
"This fact underlines our concern that terrorists belonging to different organisations find sanctuary in Pakistan," he said.
The Home Minister said in the wake of this incident "we believe that perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks, including the controllers and handlers of the terrorists who actually carried out the attack, continue to be sheltered in Pakistan.
"We once again call upon the Government of Pakistan to arrest the persons whose names have been handed over to the Interior Minister of Pakistan as well as provide voice samples of certain persons who are suspected to be among the controllers and handlers of the terrorists." (BJ-02/05)
Osama's killing proof that 26/11 terrorists in Pak: Chidambaram