More trouble seems to be awaiting former BJP minister and Porbandar mining mafia don Babu Bokhiria after the Gujarat High Court on Thursday upheld the fast track court order, clearing the way for his interrogation in the sensational murder of Congress activist and miner Molu Modhwadia in October 2005.Though Bokhiria is all set to move the apex court, he is unlikely to get any relief. The Supreme Court had in an earlier order in the same case, directed Molu’s wife Laki to move the trial court to seek reinvestigation of the case and interrogation of the politician.In her petition, Laki had demanded the interrogation of Bokhiria on the basis of a handwritten letter recovered from the wallet of Molu. In the letter, Molu had expressed fear that Bokhiria was conspiring to eliminate him. The letter also said that Bokhiria should be held responsible if Molu was killed.The police, however, did not interrogate the politician despite a forensic science laboratory report confirming that the handwriting was indeed Molu’s. Even the police chargesheet did not suspect Bokhiria’s role in the case. Feeling that the police was trying to shield Bokhiria due to his political clout, his family moved the court seeking a reinvestigation and interrogation of Bokhiria in the matter. Fearing arrest, the former minister has now decided to move the apex court against the High Court order, his close associate and personal assistant Nagajan said on Saturday.Bokhiria was earlier arrested on the eve of the December 2007 Assembly polls, in an illegal mining case involving royalty theft of Rs 500 crore. He was, however, released on bail in March 2008 after spending five months in jail. But he still faces externment from the Porbandar tehsil. Though 10 accused were arrested, Bokhiria has been roaming freely thanks to his political influence. Six of the accused are still in jail and four others are out on bail but face externment from the Porbandar tehsil.Bokhiria was also denied a BJP ticket to contest from Porbandar in the December Assembly elections and was forced to quit the Porbandar BJP district presidency owing to his arrest in the illegal mining case. He, however, still continues to be a member of the executive committee of the BJP state unit, which suggests his political clout. Bokhiria and his relatives still wield a strong influence on Porbandar politics. Consider this:* Karsan Dula, brother of Bhima Dula and BJP legislator from Kotiyana, is Bokhiria’s brother-in-law with 36 criminal cases against him.* Sajan, wife of Karsan Dula, is Porbandar Zilla Panchayat president.* Raniben, Bokhiria’s cousin, is Porbandar taluka panchayat president.* Kesu Sida, another cousin of Bokhiria, is chairman of the executive committee of Porbandar Zilla Panchayat.* Bokhiria is also related to former Congress MP Bharat Odedara (now in the BJP). Bokhiria’s daughter is married to Bharat’s son Paras. Bharat is also accused in the Rs 500 crore mining royalty theft case and stands externed from the Porbandar tehsil. Bharat’s wife Shantaben had contested on a BJP ticket from the Porbandar Assembly seat but had lost to Congress’ Arjun Modhwadia.* Chief accused in the Molu murder case, Bhima Dula, is president of the Porbandar district transport association. According to the police, Bokhiria and his group control over 80 per cent of the mining operations in the district and this is reported to be the main provocation for the murder of Molu, also a mining operator.
