Who Painted My Money White by Sree Iyer

Author:Sree Iyer [Iyer, Sree]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781732025615
Published: 2019-11-14T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20.

The Tables Turned

One of the last calls that Jagat had made as Prime Minister was to Mike. “There will be some developments. However, I expect you to go ahead with your work as planned. Tell the CBI chief to continue with his work as well. Also, informally, meet the heads of the Central Vigilance Commission and the Comptroller and Auditor General and brief them on the new developments. They are already on the job, but it will help if you continue providing them with moral and material support.”

Mike knew what the Prime Minister had referred to. After his resignation and the dissolution of the House, everybody reported to the President, who had set up a committee of advisors to help him govern in the interim period before the elected government could take over. Now that the fetters were fully removed, the probe agencies stepped up their investigations. Both the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate zeroed in on Maida Damodaran and Dalda Dalvi.

The first to be called for questioning by the CBI was Dalda. He ignored the CBI summons initially, but relented thereafter, when the agency made it clear that they would move to declare him an absconder. His patrons were out of power and he could not play with the law anymore. He arrived at the CBI headquarters in New Delhi and was grilled for five hours. The interrogating officers had prepared an extensive questionnaire that covered his incense-stick manufacturing business and the drug trade. Dalda flatly denied involvement in any illicit drug trade, but when he was confronted with evidence, including statements of people who worked for him, he was flummoxed. The CBI had every little detail of his illegal activities. He tried to wriggle out claiming political vendetta. Four days later, he was summoned for another round of questioning. At the end of it, he was placed under arrest.

Dalda had a battery of lawyers to defend him. They were among the country’s best legal minds and members from the Freedom Party. Initially, they had argued for anticipatory bail before he was held. Later, they changed tack and sought to convince the judge on the futility of keeping him under arrest since he was cooperating with the agency. They said that he would surrender his passport in order to ensure that he did not leave the country. But countering the contention, the CBI held that Dalda had been giving vague answers to their queries and his release on bail could compromise the inquiry since he could influence witnesses. The court accepted the CBI’s plea.

Meanwhile, the CBI had also begun to investigate the LEPE affair, involving the Indian Revenue Service officer Deepak Masani. Deepak had already been questioned and the agency had collected significant information thereafter. He had agreed to turn approver. But the CBI was still in the process of connecting the dots in the affair, what with things spreading beyond India’s boundaries. They were in no hurry to question Maida; he was a wily politician and seasoned lawyer, perfectly capable of slipping through legal and procedural loopholes.

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