Graphic by Bapi Choudhwry



A politician who writes like retired spy

VIJAY DEO JHA

RANCHI

Writing a book over scams and inside story of power corridor are essential post retirement plans of bureaucrats and bosses of investigative agencies. Look at this way, senior BJP leader Saryu Roy is neither of the two. But his book Madhu Koda Loot Raj over the loot in regime of former chief Minister Madhu Koda over the globe, whose estimate heist staggers beyond Rs 4000 crore. The book to be released by veteran leader Subramanian Swamy on Sunday, has already gathered attention of critic, connoisseurs and skeptical about the findings and frauds that this book is about to bring.

On Friday Koda moved an interlocutory application in the Jharkhand High Court seeking ban on the release of the book pleading the book will tarnish his image — already besmirched. The court directed him to approach a fresh, on Monday, and by this time the book will already reach to hundreds of hands. “It will be a historic document I believe. All these years I have collected facts and documents to expose corruption during the Madhu Koda raj. I raised this matter inside and outside of the state assembly. It is in the book form,” Roy said.

At least a couple of classified information makes the book interesting to read like three phase transfer of money done by Koda and Co in the foreign countries and how the group formed Golden Bird Company and tried to register it at the NASDAQ stock market.

Former Central Vigilance Commissioner Pratyush Sinha has written the forwarding making corruption as key point of concern damaging the body politics of the nation. Should one believe all what Roy has written? Did he indeed remain neutral and honest by pounding Koda and Co. into pulp only in his investigative catharsis while making only a partial reference to those who controlled Koda and baptized him in corruption?
Writing prologue Roy owns responsibilities for what he has written. “On August 28, 2008 I had held a press conference with documentary evidences about corruptions in awarding mining lease, scams in rural electrification and the way over the years, one time petty politician and crooked swindled millions and billions from the state coffer, until Durga Oraon filed Public Interest Investigation for a throughout probe,” he claimed.

Published by the Prabhat Publication the book spreads over 320 pages divided in six chapters the book offers a deep insight into corruption, its modus oprendi and people involved.

Those who know him and those who actually faced burnt out of his Machiavellian faculty and his ability to gather details of corruptions and shady deals would hardly dispute his claim. He haunts memory of former Bihar Chief Minister and an accused in infamous Rs 950 crore fodder scam case after he hounded the case like a sniffer. A member of Legislative Council of undivided Bihar from 1998 to 2004 he shifted his political base to Jharkhand later on. A relieved Lalu Yadav had quipped: “Rahat mili ki biskhopra ab Bihar se gaya ab wah Jharkhand udham machayega, (feel relieved after devil mind has shifted from Bihar. Now he will raise hackle in Jharkhand.)” Some even despise him as a devil version and a prototype of Subramanian Swamy in Jharkhand for their matching ability to sniff corruption.

For him criticism is a kind of compliment that he happily accepts even if some blame him a vested and sponsored crusader against corruption.

But the way he pursued Koda case and exposed details of corruptions and deal from one press conference to another and regular press release it gave speculations some ground: who supplies him these details, whether he is more efficient than smarter investigative agencies. “I have good friends who help me…sometimes my intuition guide me,” Roy said.

You name an accused of the Koda scam case and he gives the details of their deeds. Call it an obsession or his observation Roy does not mind.