In suicide note, Arunachal CM Kalikho Pul alleges graft by SC judges, Congress

New Delhi: Late Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul had named some sitting as well as former Supreme Court judges and senior Congress politicians in a 60-page suicide letter he left behind at the time of his death last August. His wife has demanded a CBI probe into the corruption charges levelled by Pul.

"We want a central investigation agency -- the CBI or the National Investigation Agency -- to investigate the case. Every politician and judge named in the letter should be brought into limelight and action taken against them for demanding bribe," his wife Dangwimsai Pul told the media here.

The suicide note written by Kalikho Pul in Hindi mentions the names of several Congress politicians both at the Centre and in Arunachal Pradesh along with Supreme Court judges, including ex-Chief Justices of India H.L Dattu and Altamas Kabir, for demanding bribe.

Dangwimsai -- the first wife of Pul -- has demanded a new FIR in the case as the state government did not probe the death of Pul "properly", despite an FIR by the family.

She alleged the current state government threatened her against demanding a CBI probe.

On being asked who was threatening them, Dangwimsai told IANS: "I can't take the names, but certainly they are people close to the ministers in the current Arunachal government."

In his 60-page suicide note, a copy of which is with IANS, Pul said H.L. Dattu was allegedly paid Rs 28 crore in 2012 to stay an order against the former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, despite the Gauhati High Court ordering a CBI inquiry against Tuki after finding him guilty.

Similarly, another ex CJI Altamas Kabir had given a decision in favour of Arunachal contractors regarding a Public Distribution System (PDS) scam. The Central government and Food Corporation of India termed the decision wrong, he alleged in the letter.

Pul also alleges that on the directions of former Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, he in 2009 had given Rs 6 crore to President Pranab Mukherjee, then Union Finance Minister. Mukherjee was paid the money after he cleared an advance loan of Rs 200 crore to Arunachal Pradesh.

"In 2008, I, on the directions of Dorjee Khandu, was compelled to give Rs 37 crore to Congress Treasurer Moti Lal Vora," said the suicide note.

The suicide note which brings to light several irregularities and scams in Arunachal Pradesh also mentions that Pul was contacted by some (unidentified) people, demanding Rs 86 crore to give a SC ruling in his favour, an offer which Pul said he denied.

Pul had become Chief Minister on February 19, 2016, after he along with 29 (19 Congress and 11 BJP) MLAs defected to the People's Party of Arunachal Pradesh (PPA) -- a state outfit -- to form a new government, bringing down the existing Congress government led by Chief Minister Tuki.

However, the Supreme Court reinstated the Tuki government on July 13, following which Pul and his supporters returned to the Congress and supported Pema Khandu as the Chief Minister.

According to the letter, Pul was contacted till 9 p.m on July 12, 2016, demanding an advance of Rs 9 crore to delay the hearing for one month. Pul was unseated from the chief ministership on July 13.

The 47-year-old leader was found hanging from a ceiling fan on August 9 in the official residence of the Chief Minister. He had yet to vacate the bungalow.

The Arunachal Police had found a 60-page letter written by Pul near his body, titled 'Mere Vichar' (My Views).

The letter also accuses two sitting judges of the Supreme Court of corruption.

"Virender Khehar (relative of a serving judge), had asked for Rs 49 crore from me. In another case Aditya Mishra (relative of another serving judge) had asked Rs 37 crore from me," said the letter.

Mentioning extreme manipulations through money in the Supreme Court while giving important verdicts, Pul said he was contacted till July 25, 2016 -- more than a week after the July 13 verdict -- by the kin of a serving Supreme Court juge with an offer to change the decision of the Supreme Court in his favour for Rs 31 crore.

The suicide letter -- which appears to be written over a period of a month and with his signature on each page -- clearly expresses the frustration and helplessness of Pul towards the government and judiciary.

In the letter, Pul has accused Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu and ex-CM Nabam Tuki as being among the few people responsible for bringing the state into financial ruin.

The suicide note states that the entire expenses of Rs 90 crore for the case -- to unseat him -- in the Supreme Court was borne by former and current Chief Minister Nabam Tuki and Pema Khandu.

The letter also names Congress leaders Kapil Sibal, Kamal Nath, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Salman Khurshid and V. Narayanasamy as demanding money to resolve problems among the Congress legislators in Arunachal Pradesh.