Cash for vote: Clean chit for SP's Rewati Raman

The Delhi Police on Friday told a city court that there was no evidence of Samajwadi Party leader Rewati Raman Singh’s involvement in the 2008 cash-for-vote scam.

The Delhi Police on Friday told a city court that there was no evidence of Samajwadi Party leader Rewati Raman Singh’s involvement in the 2008 cash-for-vote scam.

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Earlier in the day, the court also ordered BJP MP Ashok Argal to appear before it on November 3 to face charges levelled by police.

Public prosecutor Rajiv Mohan told special judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal that on the basis of evidence available on record, Singh was not part of the alleged conspiracy to bribe parliamentarians to secure their support during voting on the 2008 trust vote sought by the UPA-1 government. Singh has not been named in the chargesheet as well, Mohan said.

On the defence counsel’s allegation that Rewati Raman Singh met BJP MPs and was in touch with them during the trust vote, the prosecutor said meeting BJP MPs was not prohibited. Mohan said if the meeting had been held, then the prosecution has to see if it was for any illegal purpose.

According to Mohan, Singh was interrogated by the Delhi Police crime branch. Mohan said the statement of other accused, including two former BJP Mps, had also been recorded but no role can be attributed to Singh, which is why he was not named in the chargesheet.