Sinha, the Flexible?

In this case, while it’s unclear who paid for the material—Sinha is said to have obtained bills from Flex for submission to the Election Commission— what is clear is the potential conflict of interest in the current investigation.

At no point, CBI sources confirm, did the Finance Ministry let it be known that there was a prior association between Chaturvedi and Sinha.

Even though the case involved Chaturvedi being caught red-handed paying Rs 5 lakh to Delhi’s Excise Commissioner Someshwar Mishra whose office comes under the Finance Ministry.

Mishra has since been suspended, Chaturvedi is out on bail and Sinha has been regularly kept updated on key developments in this case.

Flex’s supplies for the polls included plastic-coated calenders, banners, posters and handbills, weighing hundreds of kilos.

Sources said that while one consignment of the material was carried by air on August 20, 1999, by Sinha himself (then Finance Minister in the caretaker Government) to Ranchi, the rest of the material was sent in at least five consignments authorised by officials of Flex Industries by train to Koderma, the station nearest Hazaribagh. A political aide of Sinha went with the parcels to Koderma.

Evidence that Chaturvedi acted as Sinha’s supplier for the elections lies in the railway record rooms at the Old Delhi and New Delhi Railway Stations from where the election material was sent.

The Indian Express checked the records at the New Delhi station and amid piles of dusty despatch receipts, found the one numbered 340711 (dated August 20, 1999) showing a despatch of 272 kg of material including banners, posters and other election material booked by a personal assistant to the Finance Minister.

And in the record room at the Old Delhi Station, was found another despatch receipt No 291014 dated September 6, 1999. This consignment had 16 packages of election material weighing 358 kg.

In the column under ‘Sender’s Name’ is that of Flex Industries with its NOIDA address. The Hazaribagh election was held on September 18, shortly after the material was sent.

It is learnt that Chaturvedi visited Sinha at his official residence on New Delhi’s 6, Kushak Road in the first week of August to finalize the details of printing and delivery of election material.

The first consignment reached Kushak Road around August 20 which was reportedly taken by Sinha by air to Ranchi.

The rest of the material, sources said, was first re-packed at Sinha’s house and then taken to the railway stations.