New Delhi: Sanjeev Saxena and Sohail
Hindustani, arrested for their alleged role in the 2008 cash-
for-vote scam, were on Thursday remanded to police custody till
tomorrow even as Delhi Police said no Congress or Samajwadi
Party leader had contacted the accused to strike a deal for
MPs.
The crime branch of Delhi police sought two days`
police custody but Special Judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal
allowed only a day to question them.
"Both the accused are remanded to police custody till
tomorrow," the court said.
The prosecution refuted Hindustani`s allegation that
former SP leader Amar Singh and some Congress leaders had
contacted him to negotiate with certain BJP MPs for their
vote in favour of the trust motion for Manmohan Singh
government in 2008.
"During investigation it has come on record that
neither any leader of Congress Party has made any effort to
contact Hindustani nor any SP leader contacted him to strike a
deal with MPs," the police said in its remand application.
It added that "rather it is clear that it was only
Hindustani who was making repeated attempts to contact
various persons to strike a deal for monetary considerations
in the name of three BJP MPs".
The prosecution said Hindustani had hatched the whole
conspiracy.
Public Prosecutor Rajeev Mohan submitted that July 22,
2008 was the "most unfortunate day for a democratic set up" as
money was waved on the floor of Parliament during the debate
on the confidence motion.
The prosecution submitted that they need to confront
both Hindustani and Saxena with each other to complete the
probe.
Slammed by the Supreme Court for a shoddy probe into
the cash-for-vote scam, Delhi Police had first arrested Saxena
on July 17. It arrested Hindustani yesterday.
Saxena was then remanded in police custody for three
days. He and Hindustani have been booked for various offences
under the Prevention of Corruption Act, police said.
The case was registered in 2009 on the recommendation
by a Parliamentary committee which was constituted to probe
the cash scam dating back to July 22, 2008 when some BJP MPs
had waved bundle of notes on the floor of Lok Sabha saying
that they were given the money to vote in favour of the
Manmohan Singh government.
PTI
