DailyPost 2413
INDIAN POWER BROKERS ACT
Was there money laundering in this country before Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 came into existence? Certainly, it was. How rampant and how much it was impacting the economy and society of the nation through its multifarious ramifications, for which there wouldn’t be objective and validated data points to quantify. What progress this act has been able to make in bringing down money laundering, only posterity can decide! The crux of matter is that it is prevalent and a stringent law was a necessity. Misuse, if so, or lack of enforcement cannot be held against the law. In the very same vein, can we imagine another rampant act which is eating into the vitals of this nation.
We hear of tricksters, fraudsters, cheats, imposters and conspirators on regular basis, crimes from the mainstay of our political reporting, unfortunately. Large part of it happens in connivance with the powers that be and does not happen only as the instance of the trickster. There is a second stakeholder as well and certainly more knowledgeable, well positioned, having powers to approve, who plays a critical role. This is the missing link. In the very same manner as every corruption does not lead to money laundering, but the second dimension needs to be investigated and if that dimension is found to be there, the relevant provisions of the law need to be put in motion.
In the very same manner there is power broking in this country and power brokers rule the roost. They come in every form, shape and dimension; some recognizable and others being far form it. Fraud or cheating without the knowledge of officer/ political executive or any other authority can be termed so. If the person with such powers to deliver favours connives, it can be termed as Power Broking and the persons who indulge in this trade can be termed as Power Brokers. They have been seen in the corridors of powers for ages. The person working in tandem with them out of government offices are also Power Brokers.
There are times when the person occupying a government position creates the whole mechanism for his benefit. This can called a Power Broking Mechanism, a mafia type of an operation. There are any number of such unseen guys in any case, who can be unraveled only when a very comprehensive and serious investigation is ordered into it. It has to be high powered as well. The normal conspiracy sections do not hold ground for them, as they have traversed miles beyond it. Similar to the thought behind the PMLA Act, there is an urgent need to have Indian Power Brokers Act, to tackle this all permeating rot, not being handled professionally by any of the existing laws. Defining Power Brokers under this act would itself mean the recognition of this practice and the nature of people who fall under it.
INDIAN POWER BROKERS ACT WOULD CLARIFY THE CONTOURS OF THIS NATURE OF CRIMINALS TO THE COUNTRY AND HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM.
Sanjay Sahay