Click to play videoNew Delhi: A seven-member parliamentary committee investigating the cash-for-votes scam has ruled that there is no evidence to prosecute Samajwadi Party leaders Amar Singh and Rewati Raman Singh and Congress' Rajya Sabha MP Ahmed Patel.
The committee was looking into allegations that bribes were paid to three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs - Ashok Argal, Mahavir Bhagora and Faggan Singh Kulaste - to either vote in favour of the United Progressive Alliance Government or abstain during the trust vote on July 22 this year.
An entire nation was shocked when the three BJP MPs took out wads of notes in the Lok Sabha and alleged that Amar Singh had bribed them to win their support during the trust vote.
But almost five months later, the seven-member committee has given all the players concerned a simple clean chit.
The panel ruled that there was not enough evidence to suggest that Rewati Raman Singh was involved in money transaction.
"It has not pointed any finger towards me," a relieved Rewati remarked.
SP General Secretary Amar Singh, who was accused of having given the cash to his alleged colleague Sanjeev Saxena, too, has been let off for lack of evidence.
However, Saxena's claims that he had stopped working for Amar Singh haven’t gone down well with the committee.
The committee didn't call Ahmed Patel, who is also the political secretary of Congress President Sonia Gandhi or Amar Singh for any interrogation as there was no evidence against them nor were they members of the Lok Sabha.
But the question still remains that cash was seen at the residence of three BJP MPs and in Parliament. So where did that cash come from?
"I think that's a matter that should be looked into the matter by tax authorities," said V Kishore Chandra S Deo, chairman of the committee.
Also the committee which tabled its report in the Lok Sabha on Monday is not a unanimous one.
The representatives from the BJP and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) have filed their dissenting notes
"After the report was finalised, I found that the note of dissent was more than edited," said CPI-M representative Salim Mohammad.
The committee has asked for an independent investigation specifically in the role of three individuals - Sudheendra Kulkarni, close confidante of LK Advani, Sohail Hindustani and Sanjeev Saxena - as the committee was of the opinion that they did not divulge all details.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
 |
 |
 |
|
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.