Notes waved in Parliament could be from BJP: Amar Singh

Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament Ram Jethmalani on Monday created flutters in a local court in New Delhi when he claimed that the money produced in the Lok Sabha during the cash-for-vote scam was "likely to be from the BJP".

Seeking interim bail for former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, the senior advocate told Special Judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal that even Sanjeev Saxena, co-accused in the cash-for-vote scam, in his bail application has said that the money, which he had allegedly delivered to the MPs, had been received by him from the BJP's treasurer.

"If the money was waved (in Lok Sabha) by the BJP MPs, then the source of money is likely to be from the BJP. I am not prejudicing anybody's case. There is no allegation that Amar Singh arranged the money," Jethmalani told the court, which is to pronounce its order on Singh's bail plea on Tuesday.

Jethamalani's arguments in seeking Amar Singh's bail on health grounds goes contrary to the stand of the BJP, which has been asking the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance as to the source of the money.

The BJP says that money could have come only from the "beneficiary" of the vote on the confidence motion.

Reacting to Jethmalani's claim, BJP leader Arun Jaitley sought to play it down saying that Jethmalani was only a lawyer arguing on behalf of his client. "This is the plea of an accused and he is only a lawyer. Whatever plea a lawyer takes, no matter how false they may be, we normally do not comment on them as the matter is pending in court."    
Jethamalani said in the court that "nobody has committed the offence. The BJP chaps, by showing the money in the Lok Sabha, have not done anything wrong. It was intended to expose corruption."

 He said former BJP MPs Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahabir Singh Bhagora, besides sitting BJP MP Ashok Argal have not done "anything wrong" by waving money on the floor of the Parliament during the confidence motion.

The BJP MP said it was not a case that money was given to the MPs to ask questions in the Parliament or for showing favour to anybody.

"These MPs were not supposed to commit an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The chargesheet does not say that I (Amar Singh) handed over the money. Sanjeev Saxena, in his bail application filed in this court, has said that he got the money from the treasurer of the party that is BJP," he added.

Arguing that 55-year-old Amar Singh is "sick and infirm," Jethmalani added that he has recently undergone a kidney transplant and is now suffering from urinary tract infection and his vital parameters are not stable.

"Jail is not a place where one goes to cure his illness. The question is whether he is sick and infirm? He is really sick," he said.

To buttress his claim, Jethmalani said the sting was organised by a private news channel to expose the corruption.

"The sting was for the purpose of exposing corruption. Did I (Singh) give money to these BJP MPs? What has Amar Singh done in this? I am unable to find what I have done," Jethmalani said adding even the charge sheet does not say that his client gave the money.