CBI RAIDS.

September 30, 2007

* The New Indian Express*

* Chennai** ** CITY** 3 ** Saturday, September 29, 2007*

* *

* CBI raids Blue Cross, AWBI offices*

* *

* BY K PRAVEEN KUMAR*

* Chennai, Sept 28: *The CBI Anti-Corruption Bureau on Friday reportedly

unearthed a major grant misappropriation scam in the Animal Welfare Board of

India (AWBI), Chennai centre.The CBI suspects the involvement of a well

known NGO Blue Cross in the scam. As part of the investigation, the CBI

sleuths raided the office and residential premises of former AWBI Director R

Balasubramaniam, present Secretary K Ramaswamy and the Blue Cross premises

on Friday.

According to highly placed CBI sources, during the tenure of R

Balasubramaniam, the AWBI Chennai unit had misused Union Government grant on

several occasions. It was found that more than Rs 50 lakh was siphoned off.

''The former director and present secretary with the suspected involvement

of promoters of Blue Cross seemed to have misutilised the Union Government

grant, '' a senior CBI official told *Express* . ''We are examining the

records seized from the raided premises. There is a prima facie evidence

against the suspects, which has to be substantiated after validation of

documents.'' official said. When contacted, the head of Blue Cross Chinny

Krishna, denied the news of CBI raids in his premises. ''It is false news,''

he said.

--

<www.pfaharyana.in>

September 30, 2007

There is strong prima facia cause to be extremely skeptical

of this report, even in advance of receiving the response which will

almost certainly soon be forthcoming from Chinny Krishna.

Let me point out, from the perspective of 39 years in

journalism, mostly as a muckrake, some of the tip-offs that this

may be an entirely bogus set of allegations.

>The New Indian Express

>Chennai CITY 3 Saturday, September 29, 2007

>CBI raids Blue Cross, AWBI offices

>

>BY K PRAVEEN KUMAR

>

>Chennai, Sept 28:

Note the date. The alleged raid was on a Friday.

Politically motivated raids and politically incendiary

charges most often come on Fridays, when the people behind them know

that damaging reports are likely to circulate all weekend to peak

newspaper audiences before the targets can mount an effective

response.

By the time the targets are able to respond, their response

will appear in early-week editions of newspapers, which typically

have much lower circulation.

It is no accident that the George W. Bush administration has

made a habit of almost always making important announcements late on

a Friday, to gain a publicity advantage over the opposition, and I

suspect it is no accident either that the alleged CBI raid occurred

on a Friday even though seizing evidence in serious cases would more

likely occur on a day in mid-week when auditors and attorneys would

be immediately available to review the purported evidence.

>The CBI Anti-Corruption Bureau on Friday reportedly unearthed a

>major grant misappropriation scam in the Animal Welfare Board of

>India (AWBI), Chennai centre.

Note the use of the distancing term " reportedly. " Properly

used, " reportedly " refers to another published account, appearing

in other normally credible news media, and is used with attribution.

In this instance, however, there appears to be no other

published account. Neither is there any attribution of the inferred

original report.

" Reportedly " therefore appears to be used entirely to

distance the New Indian Express and CITY-3 from an account which may

be of dubious authenticity.

>As part of the investigation, the CBI sleuths raided the office and

>residential premises of former AWBI Director R Balasubramaniam,

>present Secretary K Ramaswamy and the Blue Cross premises on

>Friday...''The former director and present secretary with the

>suspected involvement of promoters of Blue Cross seemed to have

>misutilised the Union Government grant, '' a senior CBI official

>told Express .

Note that while allegations were made against named

individuals, the source of the allegations was not named, and

therefore not held accountable.

This is sloppy reporting. If there was a reason why the

identity of the " senior CBI official " was withheld, the reason

should be included in the report, even if the reason is only " whose

identity was withheld because he refused to speak on the record. "

Good reporters normally do not allow bureaucrats and

political appointees to anonymously make allegations against persons

with whom they may be at odds.

In this case, R. Balasubramaniam, K. Ramaswamy, and

Chinny Krishna have all been at odds with many levels of government

for many years, in opposition to dog massacres, animal

experimentation, bullfighting, animal sacrifice, and a variety of

other issues in which they have represented high social values

against base political interest.

>''We are examining the records seized from the raided premises.

>There is a prima facie evidence against the suspects, which has to

>be substantiated after validation of documents.'' official said.

In other words, the anonymous official is claiming that

there is reason to be suspicious of something for which he has, as

yet, no evidence at all.

His statement amounts to saying, " This is a fishing

expedition. We hope to find something when we get around to reading

all the paperwork. "

>When contacted, the head of Blue Cross Chinny Krishna, denied the

>news of CBI raids in his premises. ''It is false news,'' he said.

This properly requires elaboration. In literal English,

Chinny Krishna was quoted as saying there were no raids involving the

Blue Cross of India. If this is correct, the whole report is in

essence bogus and libelous.

There is the possibility that Chinny Krisha was misquoted.

Whatever he said, however, it is significant that he called

this report " false news. " The reasons why he called it " false news "

should have been explored. These reasons may actually include the

essence of the story.

Having known Chinny Krishna through correspondence and by

reputation for nearly 20 years, and having known him in person for

10 years, I am inclined to be extremely skeptical that either Chinny

Krishna or any of his close associates have ever had any reason

whatever to misuse any Animal Welfare Board of India funding.

On the contrary, Chinny Krishna and many of his close

associates have invested huge sums of their own money in the work of

the Blue Cross of India and other animal welfare projects.

I have witnessed with my own eyes, on many occasions, the

extent to which Chinny Krishna dips into his own pocket to subsidize

the Blue Cross of India, and I am on record as having lectured him

many times about the importance of making his contributions on the

books, so that his colleagues, heirs, and successors know the true

cost of doing all the work that the Blue Cross does.

Precisely because Chinny has so heavily subsidized the Blue

Cross, for so long, it will experience a significant increase in

on-the-books fundraising and administrative expense after his time,

not through any decrease in efficiency of management, but because it

will no longer have a patron who cares so little about getting credit

for his own input.

><<http://www.pfaharyana.in>www.pfaharyana.in>

The identity of the individual who amplified the New Indian

Express to AAPN and many other online information sources may also be

of note. Only five months ago, similar allegations were made

involving PFA Haryana, and were extensively outlined to ANIMAL

PEOPLE and others by Maneka Gandhi. As the matter appeared to be

strictly local, I paid no notice to it in print.

At that time, and for several months thereafter, this

individual was extremely bitter toward Mrs. Gandhi and others who are

prominent and have been well-regarded in Indian animal welfare work

for many years.

Inasmuch as the New Indian Express item was published and

accessible to millions of people, and could have been posted to AAPN

by anyone, I will reserve judgement as to the motivation behind the

posting.

I will, however, point out that the person who feels he has

been victimized by inaccurate and/or unfair allegations has a

particular reason to be careful about amplifying inaccurate and/or

unfair allegations about others.

Since the allegations against R. Balasubramaniam, K.

Ramaswamy, and Chinny Krishna are now on public record, I am asking

them the appropriate questions, and expect to report on my findings,

in a factually and contextually fair and accurate manner.

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

for free sample, send address.]

October 3, 2007

Respected Merritt Clifton,

Mrs. Maneka Gandhi is not a symbol of animal rights movements in India ,

animal welfare is our fundamental duty which we are doing as per the

provisions here in India, she made baseless / false allegations against me -

let she come on a open plateform to debate on these issues where as she

asked me to accept favour from a accused but I strongly refused to her &

resigned from her PFA trust because her associate cought by the CBI red

handed accepting bribe in Haryana, if you colect informations from Haryana

then you will find that how many so called activist accepting bribes & I

allways oppose them.

If I got some informations then this is my duty to informe my friends & I am

ready to face each & every thing as I am a iron man.

regards

Naresh Kadyan

Merritt Clifton wrote:

>

> There is strong prima facia cause to be extremely skeptical

>of this report, even in advance of receiving the response which will

>almost certainly soon be forthcoming from Chinny Krishna.

>

> Let me point out, from the perspective of 39 years in

>journalism, mostly as a muckrake, some of the tip-offs that this

>may be an entirely bogus set of allegations.

>

>>The New Indian Express

>>Chennai CITY 3 Saturday, September 29, 2007

>>CBI raids Blue Cross, AWBI offices

>>

>>BY K PRAVEEN KUMAR

>>

>>Chennai, Sept 28:

>

> Note the date. The alleged raid was on a Friday.

>

> Politically motivated raids and politically incendiary

>charges most often come on Fridays, when the people behind them know

>that damaging reports are likely to circulate all weekend to peak

>newspaper audiences before the targets can mount an effective

>response.

>

> By the time the targets are able to respond, their response

>will appear in early-week editions of newspapers, which typically

>have much lower circulation.

>

> It is no accident that the George W. Bush administration has

>made a habit of almost always making important announcements late on

>a Friday, to gain a publicity advantage over the opposition, and I

>suspect it is no accident either that the alleged CBI raid occurred

>on a Friday even though seizing evidence in serious cases would more

>likely occur on a day in mid-week when auditors and attorneys would

>be immediately available to review the purported evidence.

>

>>The CBI Anti-Corruption Bureau on Friday reportedly unearthed a

>>major grant misappropriation scam in the Animal Welfare Board of

>>India (AWBI), Chennai centre.

>

> Note the use of the distancing term " reportedly. " Properly

>used, " reportedly " refers to another published account, appearing

>in other normally credible news media, and is used with attribution.

>

> In this instance, however, there appears to be no other

>published account. Neither is there any attribution of the inferred

>original report.

>

> " Reportedly " therefore appears to be used entirely to

>distance the New Indian Express and CITY-3 from an account which may

>be of dubious authenticity.

>

>>As part of the investigation, the CBI sleuths raided the office and

>>residential premises of former AWBI Director R Balasubramaniam,

>>present Secretary K Ramaswamy and the Blue Cross premises on

>>Friday...''The former director and present secretary with the

>>suspected involvement of promoters of Blue Cross seemed to have

>>misutilised the Union Government grant, '' a senior CBI official

>>told Express .

>

> Note that while allegations were made against named

>individuals, the source of the allegations was not named, and

>therefore not held accountable.

>

> This is sloppy reporting. If there was a reason why the

>identity of the " senior CBI official " was withheld, the reason

>should be included in the report, even if the reason is only " whose

>identity was withheld because he refused to speak on the record. "

>

> Good reporters normally do not allow bureaucrats and

>political appointees to anonymously make allegations against persons

>with whom they may be at odds.

>

> In this case, R. Balasubramaniam, K. Ramaswamy, and

>Chinny Krishna have all been at odds with many levels of government

>for many years, in opposition to dog massacres, animal

>experimentation, bullfighting, animal sacrifice, and a variety of

>other issues in which they have represented high social values

>against base political interest.

>

>>''We are examining the records seized from the raided premises.

>>There is a prima facie evidence against the suspects, which has to

>>be substantiated after validation of documents.'' official said.

>

> In other words, the anonymous official is claiming that

>there is reason to be suspicious of something for which he has, as

>yet, no evidence at all.

>

> His statement amounts to saying, " This is a fishing

>expedition. We hope to find something when we get around to reading

>all the paperwork. "

>

>>When contacted, the head of Blue Cross Chinny Krishna, denied the

>>news of CBI raids in his premises. ''It is false news,'' he said.

>

> This properly requires elaboration. In literal English,

>Chinny Krishna was quoted as saying there were no raids involving the

>Blue Cross of India. If this is correct, the whole report is in

>essence bogus and libelous.

>

> There is the possibility that Chinny Krisha was misquoted.

>

> Whatever he said, however, it is significant that he called

>this report " false news. " The reasons why he called it " false news "

>should have been explored. These reasons may actually include the

>essence of the story.

>

> Having known Chinny Krishna through correspondence and by

>reputation for nearly 20 years, and having known him in person for

>10 years, I am inclined to be extremely skeptical that either Chinny

>Krishna or any of his close associates have ever had any reason

>whatever to misuse any Animal Welfare Board of India funding.

>

> On the contrary, Chinny Krishna and many of his close

>associates have invested huge sums of their own money in the work of

>the Blue Cross of India and other animal welfare projects.

>

> I have witnessed with my own eyes, on many occasions, the

>extent to which Chinny Krishna dips into his own pocket to subsidize

>the Blue Cross of India, and I am on record as having lectured him

>many times about the importance of making his contributions on the

>books, so that his colleagues, heirs, and successors know the true

>cost of doing all the work that the Blue Cross does.

>

> Precisely because Chinny has so heavily subsidized the Blue

>Cross, for so long, it will experience a significant increase in

>on-the-books fundraising and administrative expense after his time,

>not through any decrease in efficiency of management, but because it

>will no longer have a patron who cares so little about getting credit

>for his own input.

>

>><<http://www.pfaharyana.in>www.pfaharyana.in>

>

> The identity of the individual who amplified the New Indian

>Express to AAPN and many other online information sources may also be

>of note. Only five months ago, similar allegations were made

>involving PFA Haryana, and were extensively outlined to ANIMAL

>PEOPLE and others by Maneka Gandhi. As the matter appeared to be

>strictly local, I paid no notice to it in print.

>

> At that time, and for several months thereafter, this

>individual was extremely bitter toward Mrs. Gandhi and others who are

>prominent and have been well-regarded in Indian animal welfare work

>for many years.

>

> Inasmuch as the New Indian Express item was published and

>accessible to millions of people, and could have been posted to AAPN

>by anyone, I will reserve judgement as to the motivation behind the

>posting.

>

> I will, however, point out that the person who feels he has

>been victimized by inaccurate and/or unfair allegations has a

>particular reason to be careful about amplifying inaccurate and/or

>unfair allegations about others.

>

> Since the allegations against R. Balasubramaniam, K.

>Ramaswamy, and Chinny Krishna are now on public record, I am asking

>them the appropriate questions, and expect to report on my findings,

>in a factually and contextually fair and accurate manner.

>

>--

>Merritt Clifton

>Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

>P.O. Box 960

>Clinton, WA 98236

>

>Telephone: 360-579-2505

>Fax: 360-579-2575

>E-mail: anmlpepl

>Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

>

>[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

>original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

>founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

>decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

>We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

>for free sample, send address.]

>

October 5, 2007

Moderator's note:

I do not usually allow personal comments or ad hominem attacks on this list

but, after 24 hours consideration, I let that e-mail through in the interest

of free speech. I believe people should be aware of alternative viewpoints.

But the topic is certainly closed now. If desired, the matter can be

debated off list.

John.

_____

Dr.Chinny Krishna [drkrishna]

Friday, October 05, 2007 4:03 PM

Debasis Chakrabarti; dr john wedderburn

Cc: Merritt Clifton; philip wollen

RE: Re: CBI RAIDS.

Dear Debasis,

I fully agree with what you have said. Maybe, aapn should consider some sort

of review of what it sends out in light of this exchange of mails.

Of course Maneka is a symbol of the animal rights movement in India and she

has helped anyone doing even the tiniest bit for bettering the life of

animals.

While we can disagree among ourselves, to the outside world we must present

a united face.

Regards.

Chinny

Debasis Chakrabarti [animalcrusader]

Friday, October 05, 2007 12:07 PM

chairman; Dr.Chinny Krishna; dr john wedderburn

Cc: Merritt Clifton; philip wollen

Re: Re: CBI RAIDS.

Dear friends,

We, the animal pals, are a very small and almost isolated group on the face

of the earth. Please for gods'(of all kind) sake let's not do anything which

can give even an inch to the society at large to succeed in deriding us

further.

Please, please consider my plea seriously, if possible.

Best regards,

Debasis

On 10/4/07, chairman <chairman wrote: