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Indicted by the judiciary for going slow against politi-
cians and top bureaucrats in the multicrore animal hus-
bandry (AH) scam, the CBI and IT department sleuths on
Tuesday swung into action against senior Congressman and
former minister Rajo Singh MLA, who is alleged to be one
of the main beneficiaries of unauthorised withdrawals
made by the animal husbandry officials under arrest now.
Houses of Mr Singh at his native place in Sheikhpura in
Munger district besides his official residence at Bailey
Road in Patna and other houses acquired by him in differ-
ent localities of the state capital were raided this
morning.
Detailed seizure list was still under preparation, but
sources said some incriminating documents, details of
assets besides costly gadgets were being assessed by the
sleuths.
Rajo Singh was a minister from 1980 to 1983 in the de-
partment of rural roads. During his tenure he became
infamous and the then prime minister Ms Indira Gandhi
asked the chief minister of the day to sack Singh along
with three other minister of state. Once during her
Patna adjourn Ms Gandhi snubbed Singh and one of three
other ministers of state saying: "Sunti hoon aap log
transfer posting ke liye paise lete hain" (you charge
hush money for transfer and posting).
Singh a former primary school teacher in a village
amassed massive wealth after entering the state legisla-
ture. A tap man with rough tongue he was used by the
party leaders for demoralising their (leaders) rivals.
That's the way he climbed the political ladder. It is,
however, to his credit that he has not yet tasted a
defeat in the assembly elections. He is known as being
"very close" to the present day chief minister.
The investing agency has so far failed to locate Congress
MLA Jagdish Sharma who became traceless after his houses
was raided and property seized by the IT department.
Rajo Singh was not present at Patna on Tuesday at the
time of raids.
The CBI office in Patna has also brought on record names
of three ministers of Janata Dal government. Vidya Sagar
Nishad, one time bidi-maker and Bhola Ram Toofani were
ministers in the Animal Husbandry department.
Mr Toofani still continues to be the minister of that
department. The third minister being asked to appear
before the CBI is Tulsi Singh, minister for planning.
Tulsi Singh is yet to respond to the CBI call.
The IT department in particular has swang into action
after arrival here of Mr Amitabh Mishra, a senior offic-
er, from New Delhi. Nearly two dozen private lockers
sealed by the IT department in a private apartment are to
be opened in a day or two. These lockers belong to
politicians and officials invoiced in the fodder scam.
Apart from this, IT department officials are asked to
probe the assets accumulated by the officials and politi-
cians and their hirelings.
The scam has cast its shadow of doubt in common man's
mind about the working of the government, but the chief
minister has said that mere lodging of FIR or submission
of chargesheets were not conclusive proof of ones guilt.
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