29.8.11

The Cash for votes case update

Over three years after three BJP MPs waved wads of currency notes in the Lok Sabha alleging that they had been offered bribes to support the UPA-I in the crucial trust vote, the Delhi police on Wednesday filed a chargesheet accusing Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh, former L K Advani aide Sudheendra Kulkarni and two ex-BJP MPs Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Bhagora of conspiracy. Although the BJP MPs had alleged that they were offered money, they have been named as accused while the Congress and the SP have been let off, with police saying it was the opposition members who had contacted the two parties.
Amar Singh: Abetted bribery and criminal conspiracy. Paid Rs 1 cr to three BJP MPs, with Rs 8 cr more to be paid later
Sudheendra Kulkarni: Brain behind bid to entrap Congress and SP leaders
Suhail Hindustani: Accepted and attempted to accept bribe
Sanjeev Saxena: Delivered Singh’s money to BJP MPs
F S Kulaste & Mahavir Bhagora: Accepted bribe from Amar Singh
Along with former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, the Delhi police have also made out against his ex-aide Sanjeev Saxena and a gems trader, Suhail Hindustani, in the cash-for-votes scam. The investigation has turned the case from alleged bribe-giving to entrapment. The police are awaiting the Lok Sabha Speaker’s permission to file the chargesheet against a third BJP MP, Ashok Argal. The three BJP MPs had alleged that money was offered to them to vote in favour of the July 22, 2008 confidence vote, which had been prompted by Left parties withdrawing support over the Indo-US nuclear deal. The chargesheet calls Kulkarni the ‘mastermind’ of the operation and Hindustani the ‘initiator’. However, Congress leaders named by the accused, SP MP Reoti Raman Singh and CNN-IBN correspondents have got a clean chit. For evidence against Singh and the others, the police have relied upon the statements of 53 witnesses, including journalists of CNN-IBN, the channel’s audio and video recordings, call details of the accused and circumstantial evidence. The chargesheet said, “Suhail and Sudheendra Kulkarni’s solicitation succeeded with Amar Singh agreeing to pay Rs 3 crore to each BJP MP for abstaining from voting on the motion of confidence,” it said. The chargesheet is silent on whether the motive to provide the cash was linked to the trust vote. It accuses Singh of hatching the conspiracy. “Saxena, along with another person in a yellow shirt, delivered Rs 1 crore at 11am on July 22, 2008, at Ashok Argal’s residence at 4, Feroze Shah Road to three BJP MPs as advance out of total deal of Rs 9 crore for abstaining from voting,” the chargesheet said. Singh has been chargesheeted for abetting bribery under Section 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and criminal conspiracy. The circumstantial evidence against Singh includes his order to Saxena to go to Argal’s residence in a white Gypsy; phone details showing Saxena calling Singh from his mobile and facilitation of talks with the three MPs. Hashmat Ali, a driver, confirmed the meeting between Singh and the three MPs. The police also produced a letter written by Singh to the principal of Dayal Singh College in 2008 seeking admission for Saxena’s son to show their proximity. On Saxena, the chargesheet said, “He delivered the money to three BJP MPs.” The two BJP MPs have been charged under section 7 (13) of POC Act (accepting the bribe money) along with criminal conspiracy.

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