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The diary of mafia don Bharat Singh, a vital piece of evidence in the Bokaro Steel
Plant scandal, is missing from the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI).
It contained names of politicians and top officials of the Steel Authority of
India Limited (SAIL), Bokaro Steel Plant, the police and the Central Industrial
Security Force (CISF) who were reportedly a part of the "syndicate" involved in
the pilferage of scrap worth crores of rupees.
The diary was seized during CBI raids on the residences and hideouts of gangsters
in Bokaro in 1995. On the basis of the information in the diary, the CBI arrested
some top officials, Including a deputy inspector-general of the CISF, S.N. Rana.
The Union minister for steel and mines, Mr Birendra Baishya, has ordered an
inquiry into the matter. In reply to a letter from the Dhanbad MP, Ms Rita Verma,
he said the matter was "being investigated." However, CBI sources here pleaded
ignorance. They said the Delhi unit of the agency had been entrusted with the
matter and the Dhanbad unit was not in a position to comment on it.
Ms Verma said her party (BJP) apprehended foulplay at the higher level. The
arrest of Bharat Singh and raids on the premises of Rana, both in Bokaro and in
New Delhi, had rocked the Union steel ministry.
Singh's confessions sent shock waves in administrative circles. Ms Verma said the
SAIL chairman had rushed to Patna to hold "secret parleys" with CBI officials
following the recovery of the diary. She claimed following this meeting the CBI
started going slow on the case and that a "big game had been played in Patna and
New Delhi."
She demanded a fresh probe to scuttle moves to save the heads involved in the
seam. The pilferage of scrap from the plant, which was going on for years, first
came to light when residents of Lohapatty village near Bokaro stopped three trucks
loaded with scrap on March 5, 1993. The case was handed over to the CBI in 1994
and took a dramatic turn when CBI officials, including a deputy superintendent of
police, were intercepted by armed miscreants near the Mahuda level crossing. They
snatched the service revolvers and important documents. It was alleged that the
incident was the handiwork of a mafia gang involved in the pilferage.
Investigations revealed the scrap pilfered from the plant in connivance with
senior officials and the security personnel were sold to buyers across the
country. Politicians and bureaucrats involved in the illegal trade were
entertained by the mafia at some of the best hotels and resorts, it was revealed.
After some time the matter took a back seat and Bharat Singh was released on bail.
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