There is a strong possibility that the phenomenon of multiple DIN (Director Identification Numbers) that first came to light in the case of Priyanka Vadra and her mother-in-law Maureen Vadra, and is now known to cover other politically eminent persons, is linked to businesses that may not be known to the Income Tax authorities and could even have an offshore dimension.

As exposed by Zee News on Friday, the Income Tax department while following the activities of meat exporter cum alleged hawala operator, Moin Qureshi, stumbled upon the fact that four Union Cabinet Ministers and a senior Congress leader close to the Congress president were in close contact with him. Department sources revealed that severalpolitical leaders close to 10 Janpath also figure in Qureshi’s telephone conversations that have been recorded over the past two months and cover a marathon 520 hours. A number of big corporate houses linked to the 2G scam also figure in the conversations.

The political eminences with multiple DINs include Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid – 02006329 and 02707104 and Minister for Corporate Affairs Sachin Pilot – 01492084 and 01720862. That the very Minister whose office should be ensuring that no individual seeks or secures multiple DINs himself has multiple director identifications, when he is not even known to have business interests, speaks volumes of the manner in which the UPA has functioned over the past 10 years.

Legal luminary and Congress Spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who should know better, have four DINs – 00919369, 01282249, 01602963 and 01432612.

Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has two DINs, which run sequentially – 01892589 and 01892590, which is simply amazing.

DMK Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has three DINs – 01993765, 01994948 and 01520307. Her cousin, Dayanidhi Maran, has two – 00548131 and 02353970.

The Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s son, Karti Chidambaram has a princely six DINs – 01648557, 00952694, 01632067, 01204813, 01341858 and 01648562. The Minister’s wife, Nalini Chidambaram, owns two DINs – 01732369 and 02770705.

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha member Motilal Vora has three DINs – 00494585, 00494926, 00589006 and 00628348.

As is already known, the Congress president’s daughter, Priyanka Vadra, has three DINs – 01038703, 01840144 and 0291439, and Maureen Vadra has two – 01840680 and 01839769.

This calls for a larger enquiry by relevant Government departments about the particular business activity against which the above named persons took the specific DINs. This must then be cross-referenced with their declarations before the Election Commission (in the case of those persons fighting the election) and their disclosures before the Income Tax authorities. It seems a safe bet that these investigations could open a can of worms.