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CBI may land Deve Gowda, Ibrahim in trouble

A Special Correspondent

The Central Bureau of Investigation's war against a witness, who turned hostile in the the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MPs bribery case, may spell trouble for former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, Union Civil Aviation Chand Mahal Ibrahim and former CBI director Joginder Singh.

Caught unawares by key witness Devender Mukhia's 'volte face' -- before Additional Sessions Judge Ajit Bharihoke last week that he had not given any statement to the agency, giving details of the alleged conspiracy and bribery -- the CBI has now fallen back on an affidavit, containing serious allegations against Deve Gowda, Ibrahim and Joginder Singh.

The witness filed the affidavit -- admitting that he gave a statement to the CBI -- with the Delhi high court last year. The case pertains to the bribing of Opposition MPs to defeat the July 28, 1993 no-confidence motion against the P V Narasimha Rao government.

Alleging threats to his life from Joginder Singh who was 'forcing him to resile from his statement to the CBI in the JMM case', the witness sought police protection. The affidavit also alleged that Mukhia was asked by 'someone on behalf of the CBI director' to come to the reception at Parliament house on February 21, 1997.

From the reception, he alleged he was taken to room no 11 where Deve Gowda was present. Later Joginder Singh also reached there with one of his colleagues.

''Joginder Singh had some talks with Ibrahim who was already present there... Then both went inside, where the prime minister was sitting.... After meeting the prime minister, the said person who had come with Joginder Singh told me in the presence of Ibrahim that 'you deny your statements'.

''We have to help (Narasimha) Rao at any cost. You would get whatever you want,'' Mukhia was told, according to the affidavit.

Then Ibrahim reportedly told the CBI director that some 'permanent arrangement is to be made' to send the two Biharis to jail.

On being asked who the Biharis were, Joginder Singh mentioned the names of Congress president Sitaram Kesri and then Bihar chief minister Laloo Prasad Yadav, Mukhia had alleged in his affidavit.

CBI counsel A K Dutt also filed an application in the trial court on Friday, seeking Mukhia's cross-examination again in the light of his 'admissions' in the affidavit. The trial judge has fixed January 27 for arguments on the CBI application.

Additional reportage: UNI

EARLIER REPORT:
CBI forced me to turn approver in the MPs bribery case: JMM leader

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