VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, March 29: The conviction of former HRD minister in the Madhu Koda cabinet and Mandar MLA Bandhu Tirkey, in a disproportionate asset case has kicked off a debate on whether central agencies are selectively targeting politicians.
Bandhu Tirkey was the MLA between 2005 and 2009 and for a brief period, he served as the minister in the Madhu Koda-led government. He was among the ministers of the then Koda cabinet whom the CBI had booked on the charge of a disproportionate asset case worth Rs 7.22 Lakh.
Tribal rights activist Ratan Tirkey who is closely associated with Bandhu Tirkey in a Facebook post claimed that Bandhu Tirkey is paying the price for speaking for tribal rights.
Later on, talking to Lagatar24. com Ratan Tirkey said that given a small amount as a disproportionate asset it was hard to believe that Bandhu Tirkey did any corruption.
“I am not questioning the judiciary. I am questioning the intention of investigative agencies which are under the control of the central government. Bandhu Tirkey has been very vocal about tribal rights and identity. He became an eyesore to many people and political parties especially the BJP when he vociferously opposed the BJP meddling with the tenancy laws of Jharkhand and imposing a domicile policy against the interest of Jharkhand,” he said.
Bandhu Tirkey is the fourth minister of the Koda cabinet who has been convicted. Earlier, Harinarayan Rai (December 2016), Dulal Bhuiyan (June 2018), and Enos Ekka (April 2020) were convicted. Two other former ministers Bhanu Pratap Shahi and Kamlesh Kumar Singh are still facing trial before the special CBI and PMLA court.
“But why is the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate moving at a slow speed about the rest of the two ministers Bhanu Pratap Shahi and Kamlesh Singh? Bhanu Pratap Shahi joined the BJP to save his skin and Kamlesh Singh is doing the same thing,” said Ratan Tirkey. Another tribal activist Aloka Kujur raised a similar objection and said that Bandhu Tirkey was implicated and convicted as a part of the conspiracy.
But the sources in the agencies explained the reasons if the trial of their cases is still going on. Kamlesh Singh and his family members are facing money laundering and disproportionate asset charges. In the money laundering cases, the trial remained suspended for many months as he secured a stay order from Jharkhand High Court. When the ED finally managed a vacation of the stay order, the Covid 19 pandemic affected the trial. The ED sources said that the trial of the cases has been expedited and the witnesses are being examined.
Similarly, in the case of Bhanu Pratap Shahi, witnesses are being examined. The case of Shahi was investigated by the Patna unit of the ED. But quite surprisingly the ED which is also investigating the NRHM scam has left Shahi unprosecuted. He was the health minister during the period when the NRHM scam worth Rs 131 crores had taken place.
On being contacted sources in the CBI rejected the allegation of selectively targeting any person. Sources said that the trial of disproportionate assets is going on and witnesses are being examined. They said that ideally their trial should have been concluded much before. But due to the Covid 19, the court remained closed.
“Some cases are very complex. For instance, disproportionate assets were raised in many places and in many states. It takes time to identify and verify such assets and prepare witnesses. Their case is of that nature. There are cases where the number of witnesses is very high. For instance, in fodder scam case 47A/96 the total number of witnesses was 575. In the NRHM case, there are 488 witnesses. It takes time to examine them. One should trust the judiciary and the agency,” said an official.
