Oooops! You are right. Just realized that my calculator does not go beyond 8 numerals, thus the inability to do simple arithmetic :-).
But from the corrected numbers, it is unlikely that the listed houses would add to $ 5,000,000. If we take the MOountainview, CA condo at $1,000,000, the one in Omaha at $ 300,000, the Condo at Cambridge also at $1,000,000 --for a total of 2.3 million, what accounts for the rest? The Huge building shown in the Sentinel, obviously is a commercial structure,certainly far more than $5 million by itself. So it looks like Alhil Gogoi's info. providers did a poor job. >However, in the scheme of things that is being talked about, a factor of 10 is >not important. Yeah, I agree on that :-). cm On Jan 9, 2011, at 1:16 PM, Dilip Deka wrote: > No issues with anything you said except "I did a little quick math and the > total value of these houses , approx. 18 crore rupees, is really a puny > amount by local standards, as far as housing value goes, $ 500,000 or so." > Eta xunyo iphal xiphal hwl. 18 crore rupees translates to about $5,000,000. > However, in the scheme of things that is being talked about, a factor of 10 > is not important. > > From: Chan Mahanta <[email protected]> > To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world > <[email protected]> > Sent: Sun, January 9, 2011 12:56:43 PM > Subject: Re: [Assam] ‘Gogoi family has Rs 18-crore property in US’ > > I did a little quick math and the total value of these houses , approx. 18 > crore rupees, is really a puny > amount by local standards, as far as housing value goes, $ 500,000 or so. A 3 > BR. condominium > like the one at Mountain View CA, itself would be almost 1.5 to 2 times the > combined value of > the three ( or is it four) houses/condos's reported value ( $ 600,000 to $ > 1,000,000). > > So, for one thing, the reported values mean little. For another, that CM > Gogoi's son-in-law, > from published accounts a Google executive, probably makes enough on HIS OWN > to be able to > afford a $ 1,000,000 loan on one ( or a collection of houses) described > here. People buy houses > with long-term loans here, not with hard cash. > > Therefore, the value of the houses described could NOT be construed to point > to the notion > of assets disproportionate to the son-in-law's assets, leading to casting > aspersions on CM Gogoi > or his wife being the financiers, from legitimate or corrupt sources. > > That may be the good news for CM Gogoi and his wife. > > The bad news probably lies elsewhere: the Ownership of the houses. Who is/are > the Owners of these > houses? The daughter and the son-in-law? The CM or his wife? > > Why that matters are: > > A: The son-in-law and the daughter are US residents, if not citizens. He > probably earns enough, and she may too, > to add to a tidy amount to be able to get a pretty good sized loan for a > house in a high market value area like > Mountatin View, California and Cambridge, MA ( home to MIT and Harvard etc.). > But not so for foreigners, like > Tarun Gogoi or his wife, UNLESS they also have US Permanent Resident Visas ( > Green Cards. They could > however. That would be interesting to know if they do. Somebody should ask > the CM that question. > > B: If they are not green-card holders, they probably bought them for cash. > There is no reason for the son-in-law or > daughter to purchase houses, on loan, for TG or his wife. If any of these > houses were bought with cash ( not on loan), that > will be a good indication that someone other than the son-in-law or the > daughter provided the cash. Be it the CM , or his wife, > or some Hawala trader or some business owner or whoever. > > This could be easily verified from publicly available info. The lien-holders' > names will be on the Titles of these houses > if they are purchased with bank loans. > > > Finally, EVEN if these houses were bought for cash and from corrupt sources, > the amounts are small fry, compared to those > talked about in reference to Himanta Sarma for one. I am sure there are > others. In that I agree with MM's view: > > "See how large hearted he is! > He allows his henchman to take 4000Crores and he keeps only 18 crores > as small tips." > > > Just kidding! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Jan 8, 2011, at 11:52 PM, Nava Thakuria wrote: > > > > > Gogoi involved in embezzlement: KMSS > > > > GUWAHATI, Jan 8 – Peasant organisation Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti today > > alleged that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is involved in embezzling the > > public > > money of the State and part of the money laundered by him has been siphoned > > off > > to the US to procure property there in the names of members of his family. > > > > > > ‘Gogoi family has Rs 18-crore property in US’ > > The peasant organisation also demanded a CBI inquiry into the allegation > > and > > dared the Chief Minister to make a public statement on the source of the > > money > > used in procuring property in the US. > > > > Addressing mediapersons at a press conference here this afternoon, KMSS > > secretary Akhil Gogoi alleged that the Chief Minister has several houses in > > the > > US in the names of his wife Dolly Gogoi (12700 W Dodge Road, Omaha NE > > 69154), > > daughter Chandrima Gogoi (701 Berry Ave, Los Angeles C A 94024) and > > son-in-law > > Prasenjit Phukan (178 Ownes Ct Mountain View C A 94043; 143 Albany St, > > Cambridge > > MA 02139 and Los Altos CA 94022). > > > > The money value of these houses when added together would be Rs 17, 88, 45, > > 050. > > His daughter had declared while acquiring the property that her average > > annual > > income was Rs 64, 42, 650, while her husband Prasenjit Phukan had made > > three > > declarations stating that his average annual incomes were Rs 64, 42, 650, > > Rs 34, > > 36,050 and Rs 72, 71, 250. Chief Minster's wife Dolly Gogoi declared that > > her > > average annual income was Rs 29, 18, 650. > > > > The peasant organisation alleged that the Chief Minister requisitioned the > > services of his 'scam-tainted' Ministerial colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma to > > transfer part of the looted money to the US through hawala. This is why the > > Chief Minister has so far been maintaining silence over the issue of > > Himanta > > Biswa Sarma embezzling the public money of the State. > > > > The peasant organisation has collected the information concerning the US > > property of the Chief Minister's family by using the website intelius. com, > > said > > the KMSS secretary. > > > > It has hit out at Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief Bhubaneswar > > Kalita for his 'halfhearted approach' in the matter of the corruption > > indulged > > in by Himanta Biswa Sarma. > > > > The peasant organisation is holding a massive demonstration against > > corruption > > at the Dispur Last Gate from 11 am on January 10 and it has appealled to > > all > > patriotic people to take part in the programme. Noted RTI activist Arvind > > Kezriwal and national convenor of the National Alliance of People's > > Movement Dr > > Sandip Pandey will take part in the demonstration, said the KMSS secretary. > > > > > > > > > > GUWAHATI, Jan 8: Launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, > > Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) general secretary Akhil Gogoi today > > gave a > > detailed account of property worth around Rs 18 crore in the form of houses > > owned by the Chief Minister’s wife, daughter and son-in-law in the US. The > > KMSS > > leader has dared the three to disclose their sources of income. He has also > > demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter in order to unmask the truth. > > Addressing a press conference at the Guwahati Press Club today, the KMSS > > leader > > said: “According to documents produced by Gogoi’s wife Dolly Gogoi and > > daughter > > Chandrima Gogoi while purchasing one house each in the US, their annual > > incomes > > are Rs 29.18 lakh and Rs 64.42 lakh respectively. Gogoi’s son-in-law > > Prasenjit > > Phukan, however, showed three different annual incomes — Rs 64.42 lakh, Rs > > 34.36 > > lakh and Rs 72.71 lakh — while purchasing three different houses in the US. > > I > > appeal to the three to make their sources of annual income public.” > > “We have no way out but to unmask the Chief Minister who has not paid any > > heed > > to the deadline set by us for him to take action against his corrupt > > Cabinet > > colleague, Himanta Biswa Sarma. It was followed by a 48-hour deadline set > > by us > > for Gogoi to reply as to why he was not taking any action against the > > corrupt > > minister though we had brought many corrupt practices of the minister to > > light. > > We have to open our mouth today as the deadline set for the Chief Minister > > is > > over,” Akhil Gogoi said, and added that minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was > > the key > > man behind all the scams that had taken place during the tenure of Tarun > > Gogoi. > > “Though we have exposed all the corrupt practices of Himanta Biswa Sarma, > > Gogoi > > doesn’t take action against him as he is afraid of being unmasked if the > > minister opens his mouth.” > > The KMSS leader said: “Since when we have started our tirade against > > corruption, > > people, including those staying abroad, have started to come on their own > > and > > feed us with information. With the information received from NRIs, we have > > approached the US embassy that has shown us the way to proceed. By making > > online > > payment through a website (www.intelius.com) by credit cards, we have got > > access > > to the documents of purchase of the houses by the family members of the > > Chief > > Minister.” > > The KMSS leader further said that apprehensive of being blackmailed by > > Himanta > > Biswa Sarma, Gogoi ‘‘is now trying to keep Sarma at a safe distance from > > all > > matters relating to the State administration’’. Himanta Biswa Sarma, > > according > > to the KMSS leader, is the key man behind sending the ill-gotten money from > > the > > State to foreign countries through hawala. “We will soon file cases against > > Sarma in the Supreme Court and the High Court,” he added. > > > > Coming down heavily on Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president > > Bhubaneswar Kalita, Akhil Gogoi said: “The Congress has failed to take > > action > > against corrupt Himanta Biswa Sarma due to the weak leadership of Kalita.” > > He > > also took a dig at the opposition parties by saying that despite the KMSS > > exposing a large number of corrupt practices of the State Government, the > > Opposition had failed to put adequate pressure on the government to act > > against > > corrupt ministers. > > Meanwhile, reacting to Akhil Gogoi’s revelations, AGP president Chandra > > Mohan > > Patowary said: “Last year, the Chief Minister had announced that his > > government > > would construct houses for flood- and erosion-affected people of the State. > > Though the erosion-affected people have not got the promised houses, Gogoi > > has > > successfully built a number of houses in the US. This is the real man > > hiding > > within ‘clean’ Gogoi.” > > > > Akhil dares CM to reveal assets- RTI activist demands CBI inquiry > > > > Akhil Gogoi shows a photograph of Tarun Gogoi’s property in the US at the > > press > > conference. Picture by Eastern Projections > > > > Guwahati, Jan. 8: Peasant leader and RTI activist Akhil Gogoi today claimed > > that > > family members and relatives of chief minister Tarun Gogoi possessed > > property > > worth over Rs 17 crore in the US and dared the latter to make public the > > sources > > of the assets, including five houses. > > Akhil, also the general secretary of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS), > > said > > there were five houses in the name of the chief minister’s wife Dolly > > Gogoi, > > daughter Chandrima and son-in-law Prasenjit Phukan at different locations > > in the > > US. > > > > “The information collected by us showed that there was a house in the name > > of > > Dolly Gogoi at Omaha and another at Los Altos in his daughter’s name. Three > > houses in the name of his son-in-law Prasenjit Phukan are located at > > Cambridge, > > Mountain View and Los Altos. We have strong suspicion that the property was > > procured with public money and hence we dare the chief minister to let the > > people of Assam know the source. We also demand a CBI inquiry into the > > assets,” > > Akhil Gogoi said at a press conference. > > Giving details and producing photographs of the houses, Akhil said the > > People’s > > Interest Research Group, formed by the KMSS, collected the information with > > the > > help of the American embassy and an information commerce company, > > intelius.com, > > which provides consumers and businesses with predictive intelligence for > > important decisions. > > The chief minister’s office said Gogoi would comment after his return from > > New > > Delhi. Media adviser Debo Bora told The Telegraph, “The chief minister will > > react once he is back.” > > Akhil alleged that huge corruption had taken place during Gogoi’s tenure. > > “The > > Congress high command, including Sonia Gandhi, has been claiming that the > > party > > is committed to fight corruption but we have seen no action against Gogoi, > > health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other ministers involved in scams > > in > > Dima Hasao district, Karbi Anglong and other departments,” the RTI activist > > said. > > Akhil, also the recipient of two national RTI awards, said they would > > launch a > > massive campaign against the Tarun Gogoi government ahead of the > > forthcoming > > Assembly elections. > > “We will organise a dharna and observe a hatred day on Monday at Dispur > > Last > > Gate to protest the massive corruption. Activist Sandip Pandey and Arvin > > Kejriwal will take part and we request all concerned citizens to join us > > and > > protest the corruption of the Congress government in Assam,” he said. > > Akhil said four cases would be filed against Himanta Biswa Sarma and Tarun > > Gogoi > > in the Supreme Court and Gauhati High court soon relating to > > disproportionate > > assets and criminal cases. > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > assam mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > [email protected] > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org _______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
