Crime in US - (enterprise in India?)

Three Indian Americans across America have been sent to Jail yesterday.

Noshir Gowadia, 66 years old, a former engineer with defense giant Northrop Grumman has been convicted for selling secrets relating to the B-2 stealth bomber to China. He is supposed to have designed a cruise missile component for China and got payment worth over $100,000 which he used to partly pay for his multi-million dollar house on the beach. Surely, he can wait to use that house if and when he survives his life term!

In the second instance, Randeep Singh Mann, an Arkansas based doctor, masterminded a car bomb attack on the head of the state's medical board in Feb-09. Dr Trent Pierce, a family practitioner, suffered serious injuries and lost an eye. Randeep's wife was also charged in the conspiracy. He is facing a life term.

In the third case, Sushil Bansal, president and CEO of Advanced Integrated Technology Corporation pleaded guilty to the charge of bribing public officials in the office of the Chief Technology Officer of the District of Columbia. He and his company paid over $700,000 in bribes to two officials in return for favours that included approving contractors proposed by Bansal and false approval of invoices.

Many here, may not blink an eye on their crime - because, this is normal business, in India, they would say. Look at Kalmadi and co. Even the government here has argued in Parliament, and outside that robbing up to 1.6 crores is not enough to send a member of Parliament to jail.

All three of them are naturalized Americans. All of them are aware of the laws of the land. All of them have got opportunities way beyond their dreams - and all of them, and their extended families back home must have prospered way beyond their imagination. Yet, they violated the decencies that a guest has to uphold in a land that has welcomed him. Moreover, they have shamed the land of their origin, and caused every Indian to be looked down upon, suspiciously by the world at large!

Of course, all of them will appeal. That's what the courts are for. The fundamental fact remains that they violated the law of the land, which accepted them as guests, and provided them with opportunities and rewards, far beyond their dreams. Alas, at last, their basic natures surfaced and greed got the better of them. Let the authorities lock them up and throw the keys for all I care.