Jeep Scandal 1948 - Scams,Scandals of Neharu Govt

Jeep Scandal 1948 - Scams,Scandals of Neharu Govt

The Jeep Scandal of 1948 was the first scandal of independent India. In 1948 Pakistan attacked the western frontiers and on the plea of this attack a huge number of Jeeps to be used by the Indian Army was ordered. A contract to this effect, ignoring protocol was signed by Mr. V K Krishna Menon(Vengalil Krishnan Krishna Menon), the then High Commissioner of India to Britain, with a London based  firm whose credentials were doubtful. 

Image Source-wikipedia.org

As per this contract the firm had to supply 2000 Jeeps for Rupees Eighty Lakhs. As the credentials of the firm  were already doubtful, later it proved true while Not a single jeep was supplied for 9 months. The war was over and the firm supplied only 155 poor quality Jeeps reached Madras(Now renamed Chennai) port in1949 and failed to supply the rest, thus creating a loss of almost Rs-7500000.00 to the Indian Republic. It is not very difficult to imagine the value of the amount of Rs-7500000.00 of that time.

It seems that Mr. Menon and others involved in the deal already knew the fate of the deal because  It is tradition of Govt. offices that even after supplying the full stock of an order , it is very troublesome task to obtain the payments but surprisingly most of the payments in this deal were made in advance. It is to be noted that the 155 jeeps were also supplies much after the cease fire. Though these were accepted due to the pressure of then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Neharu.

An Inquiry Committee led by Ananthsayanam Ayyangar was ordered. It was the first committee of it’s kind in independent India. In 1955 the then Indian National Congress Govt. Ignored the Ananthsayanam Ayyangar committee report. Govind Ballabh Pant the then Home Minister of India announced on 30 September 1955 that  as far as Government was concerned it has made up its mind to close the matter. If the opposition was not satisfied they can make it an election issue.  

Thus the scandal was closed arbitrarily and in a manner contrary to the law. Mr. V K Krishna Menon was rewarded by appointing him a Cabinet Minister without portfolio on 03 February 1956, later defense minister of India and  a close ally of Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Neharu.

 

The mutual relations between the three pillars of democracy viz: Legislature, Executive and Judiciary as well as accountability between them is a real sign of true democracy. But today our country feels as if pool of scandals and corruption. Better to say India in scams and not scams in India. 

The Congress party since it’s very beginning is notorious for scuttling, and diverting investigations by influencing CBI and other investigating agencies or suppressing those who are party to the investigations in a way that a probe dies it’s natural death.