Is AP Govt serious about enquiry?

Though the AP Govt promptly ordered a CB-CID enquiry into the Satyam scam soon after Ramalinga Raju's letter admitting fraud, very little seems to be moving on the ground, reports Ashok Das.

Though the Andhra Pradesh government promptly ordered a Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) enquiry into the Satyam scam soon after Ramalinga Raju's letter admitting fraud, very little seems to be moving on the ground.

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Though 48 hours have passed since the fraud came to light, the CB-CID is yet to constitute a team to look into the matter. It is only after the nomination of a team that a probe can take off.

Besides, the enquiry ordered will not be a full-fledged enquiry. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy has made it clear that he had ordered the CB-CID to do a preliminary enquiry.

Police officials said a preliminary enquiry could mean a quick assessment, where the probe team will try to find out what sections of various laws could have been violated. Since the scam involves thousands of crores of rupees and the case spread over several years, any quick assessment is not possible.

Officials are really not sure as how to progress in the matter. “If the CM was so keen on ferreting out the truth, he should have ordered a full-fledged enquiry. I am not sure as to what purpose a preliminary enquiry would serve,” said a senior officer pleading anonymity.

Though CB-CID has a decent record in unraveling big frauds — like the Telgi scam, the Krushi bank fraud, the Margadarsi Finance case —, the CID bosses are not sure as how to proceed in the Satyam matter. Reason: Raju’s proximity to people occupying senior positions in the power structure.