Cong demands CBI probe into cash-for-vote scam

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday demanded an investigation

by the CBI or police into the cash-for-vote scam in the context of the revelations by former BJP leader Jaswant Singh that the top leadership of the party, including Leader of the Opposition L K Advani, was in the know of things about the source of the wads of currency notes which were displayed in Parliament by three BJP MPs during the voting on the motion of confidence on July 22 last year.

AICC Spokesman Abishek Manu Singhvi told mediapersons that a detailed investigation was required in the scam as it involved unaccounted money.

Moreover, the issue came under the purview of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

He said the BJP should make public where did the money come from and who had brought it to Parliament and who were the leaders other than Mr Advani who knew about the source of the money.

Mr Singhvi said the involvement of the top leadership of the party in the scam raised serious questions such as "where are the ethics in the party which claimed to be the national opposition and where is their face to preach morality?"

He said the BJP also owed unconditional comprehensive apology to the nation for 'cheating the people.' When his attention was drawn to the reports that former BJP leader Sudheendra Kulkarni, who was interrogated by the

Parliamentary Committee on the cash-for-vote scam, was appointed a Consultant in the ministry of Railways, Mr Singhvi said, "If he was found culpable in any manner, he should be dealt with under the rules."

Asked if the Congress would support continuance of Mr Jaswant Singh, who was expelled from the BJP for releasing a controversial book on Jinnah, in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, he said it was for the Speaker and the political parties to decide.