It's a Rs 10k-crore scam, claims Saikia

Ex-journalist says he was framed

Former journalist Santanu Saikia, who is among the 12 arrested for stealing confidential government documents, claims he was framed as he was trying to uncover a Rs 10,000-crore scam.

“The charges are fabricated. Quote me. It’s a Rs 10,000-crore scam,” Saikia told the media on Saturday outside the office of the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch. He was being brought back to the office in south Delhi’s Chanakyapuri following a mandatory medical check-up at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.

Earlier, Saikia had denied any links to the gang that stole documents from the Power Ministry and the Coal Ministry. He is, however, being extensively quizzed about certain documents found in his possession and his call data records.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has also not ruled out the possibility of a link between middlemen and some bureaucrats in the wrongdoing. “It is possible. I am not ruling out any possibility. Delhi Police is investigating the whole issue. I think the issue will come to light very soon,” he said.

The police told the court that charges under the Official Secrets Act might also be invoked in the case as documents recovered from the five corporate executives are related to “national security aspect”.

Prosecution under Official Secrets Act will be more stringent than the Indian Penal Code sections of the case. “National interest was taken for a ride in the case. Documents related to national security have also been recovered. This may attract charges under the Official Secrets Act,” police told the court.

Shailesh Saxena of Reliance Industries, Vinay Kumar of Essar, K K Naik of Cairn India, Subhash Chandra of Jubilant Energy and Rishi Anand of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group were produced before a magistrate and were sent to three days police custody.

The police also told the court that the five accused were procuring sensitive documents at the behest of their senior officials, some of whom might be interrogated.

Intensifying the probe, the police also raided the office of a petrochemical company in Noida after it searched the office of arrested energy consultant Prayas Jain. Subhash Chandra, a senior executive with Jubilant Energy, was taken to Jain’s office.