Cbi To Question Key Politicians In Fodder Scam

The Ranchi branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has unearthed evidence against several politicians of various parties, who allegedly received pay-offs from those involved in the Rs 950-crore animal husbandry scam, officials said yesterday.

We have got evidence against some politicians whose names have figured recently in the media and we are going to interrogate them soon, the officials said.

The investigations into the scam has two aspects. One, the fraudulent

withdrawals by officials, and two, the larger conspiracy involving politicians. This part has to be properly investigated to get at the root of the biggest embezzlement of public money in independent India, the officials said.

The Ranchi unit of the CBI has established fraudulent withdrawal of over Rs 250 crore from the treasury so far, the officials said.

Nearly 1,800 people, including K M Prasad and Shyam Bihari Sinha, have been interrogated within a span of nine months to substantiate the charges.

The officials, however, wondered about the delay in questioning the top politicians suspected to be involved in the scam.

The officials, however, regretted the lack of coordination which was hampering the investigation into the worst-ever scam.

I think that with better coordination among ourselves and a more effective monitoring from the top would substantially speed up the investigation process, an official said.

After all, the left hand must know what the right hand is doing,'' he added.

If 1,800 people could be interrogated within a span of nine months, why 40 politicians could not be questioned even after the scam was detected a year ago, the official asked.

Investigation against the state government officials was progressing with the Ranchi unit looking into the fraudulent withdrawals of nearly Rs 450 crore, the officials added.

The officials said that a huge number of fake bills and vouchers have been seized by the agency during the course of investigations.