In PK, Aamir Khan keeps asking people where he can find his Remote Control to go back home. He keeps getting the reply “God knows”. Maybe he should’ve asked Subramiam Swamy the question, because Mr Swamy seems to know more things than the average human! Love him or hate him there’s no fooling him! Here are some things, which Swamy could spot way before most of saw them:
1. Jayalalitha Disproportionate Assets case
In 1996 Swamy first filed a case against Jayalalitha claiming she had amassed disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 66.65 crore during her stint as Tamil Nadu CM from 1991-96. This sum may seem paltry now, but it was big money then. And worse, this relatively small amount brought big trouble for Jayalalitha in 2014, when after 18 long years she was convicted in this case in September 2014
2. 2G Scam
In November 2008, Swamy was one of the first to write to the PM, seeking sanction to prosecute Telecom Minister A Raja under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Much later in March 2010, CAG reported large scale irregularities in the 2G allocation. Meanwhile, Manmohan Singh took no action on Swami’s letter, Delhi High Court refused to direct PM on the same, hence Swamy was forced to move Supreme Court. And after that we all know what happened. He saw it a good 16 months before the CAG!
3. Sunanda Pushkar’s death
On January 17 2014, two days after she took to Twitter to expose her husband, Shashi Tharoor’s alleged love affair with a Pakistani journalist, Sunanda was found dead in a Hotel room in New Delhi. Initial reports suggested it could have been a case of suicide, but later evidence was found which could point to a murder. There was a lot of confusion, but Swamy stuck to the stand he took on January 18 2014: “it seems to be a well-planned murder”. Now almost a year after this incident, Delhi Police has decided to probe this case as a Murder. Whether Swami was fully right, only time will tell.
4. Striking down “Single Directive Provision”
In 1997, Swamy filed a petition in the Supreme Court to strike down a law, which protected high ranking public servants from criminal investigation without a prior approval from their higher ups, which were often Politicians. After yet another prolonged Court battle, the Supreme Court finally struck down this law in Mary 2014, thereby giving CBI more freedom to act against corruption.
5. EVM rigging
In 2010, Swamy had filed a PIL in the Delhi High Court demanding better security for EVMs to prevent them from getting rigged. He had asked for a paper acknowledgement to be issued to the voter so that he can verify his vote. In January 2012 the Delhi High Court refused to issue any directions to the Election Commission, but it asked the EC to “immediately begin a process of wider consultations”. Finally in January 2013 the EC informed the Supreme Court that “Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail”, which after testing, was rolled out in phases in the 2014 General Elections.
6. Nataraja Temple Case
In 2009, the Madras High Court had transferred administration of a 1000 year old temple to the Government, then headed by CM Karunanidhi. Swamy along with the priests of the temple had then filed a case in the Supreme Court appealing this decision. Finally in January 2014, this decision was overturned and the management of the temple was given back to the priests.
