Cash-for-votes: Police to file report on complaint against Amar

The Delhi police was directed on Monday by a local court to file a report on a complaint of a key prosecution witness in the 2008 cash-for-vote scam case that Rajya Sabha member of Parliament Amar Singh and others had threatened and kidnapped him ahead of his deposition before a Parliamentary committee.

"Station House Officer of Tughlak Road police station is directed to file a status report on November 21," Metropolitan Magistrate Sudesh Kumar said.

The court's order came on a private complaint of Hashmat Ali, a prosecution witness in the cash-for-vote scam.

Ali, in his complaint, has sought registration of a first information report against Amar Singh, former Samajwadi Party leader, his secretary Tarun and aide Ramesh under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act relating to kidnapping, illegal confinement, robbery and criminal intimidation.

Ali has alleged that on September 25, 2008, when he was to record his testimony before the parliamentary enquiry committee, constituted to probe the scam, he was kidnapped by co-accused Tarun and Ramesh and was taken to Lodhi Estate bungalow of Amar Singh.

"Amar Singh started abusing complainant (Ali) and threatened to kill him and his family. Then Singh slapped the complainant. Thereafter the complainant was locked in a room and after three-four hours, he was handed over to the police in the presence of media," the complaint filed through Ali's advocate L K Verma said.

Singh, undergoing treatment at AIIMS in judicial custody, is an accused along with BJP leader L K Advani's former aide Sudheendra Kulkarni, former BJP MPs Faggan Singh Kulaste, Mahabir Singh Bhagora and Sohail Hindustani and Sanjeev Saxena in the cash-for-vote scam case.