Bank scam accused ‘names’ Raman Singh

The case dates back to 2006 when a Chhattisgarh-based cooperative bank,Indira Priyadarshini Mahila Nagrik Sahkari Bank,suspended its operations after defaulting on the payments of depositors. In 2007,RBI cancelled its licence and an FIR was filed against its officers on charges of embezzling Rs 54 crore. Sinha was among those arrested.

His narco-analysis was conducted in June 2007,following the court’s permission. In a letter sent to the cooperative secretary in February 2010,the registrar,cooperative societies,sought a CBI probe. But the government did not agree.

The Congress today alleged that the state government had connived with the bank officials. “They paid money to the chief minister and other ministers to cover up the scam. The government embezzled even the hard-earned money of ordinary investors,” alleged Congress programme coordinator Bhupesh Baghel as he released the CD.

In the 55-minute CD,Sinha,on being asked about the money paid,purportedly names the CM and other ministers on several occasions. Sinha got bail in 2010.

While the narco-analysis was part of the case diary,the CD was not produced in court. “This test was conducted on the directive of the court,but the prosecution did not submit it before the court,” said Sinha’s advocate,S K Farhan.

The Congress also sought to link the CD with the SMS of slain PCC chief Nand Kumar Patel’s son Dinesh Patel. On May 23,two days before the Darbha attack,Dinesh had reportedly sent SMSes to party leader Shailesh Nitin Trivedi claiming that the PCC would make a revelation after which the CM would be forced to resign. “He probably referred to this CD,” said Baghel.

Soon after the CD was released,the CM called his ministers for an emergency meeting at his residence today. The police and the government later held separate press conferences to reject the charges,but took contradictory stands. The police did not challenge the CD’s authenticity,but emphasised that it was not admissible as evidence. The government,however,claimed the CD was “not authentic”.

“This CD does not establish the crime. Narco test is not legal evidence under the Evidence Act. There is a contradiction between the contents of the CD and the facts that emerged during investigation,” said Raipur IG G P Singh. Asked why the CD was not produced before the court,he said: “The prosecution officer also concurred that such evidence can be used only when there is a corroborative evidence.”

PWD Minister Agarwal said: “This CD is not authentic. The matter is in court and the case is very old. The Congress is doing this now to take political advantage of the Darbha attack.”

But Baghel countered: “This CD is 100 per cent authentic. I challenge them to get it tested by any forensic expert.”