By IANS,
New Delhi: Action has been taken against whistleblowers, but no investigations taken against those who have benefited in the 2008 cash-for-votes incident, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said Tuesday after one of its leaders was jailed for the scam.
“We would not comment on the court (hearing) but having said that, I certainly voice the BJP’s concern that those who were the beneficiaries of the entire cash-for-votes scandal in which the BJP and its people have only been the whistle-blowers, action has been taken on the whistle-blowers,” BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.
Sudheendra Kulkarni, a former aide of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani, was Tuesday sent to judicial custody till Oct 1 in the scandal.
Targeting the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, Sitharaman told reporters that those who were ready to buy parliamentarians have not been questioned.
On July 22, 2008, three BJP MPs waved wads of currency notes on the floor of the Lok Sabha ahead of a trust vote, alleging they were given the money to vote in favour of the Manmohan Singh government. A case was registered in 2009 on the recommendation of a parliamentary panel that probed the scandal.
Sitharaman said the parliamentary panel had also recommended further investigation into the matter but nothing happened.
“The beneficiaries are remaining quiet and away from any investigation and that’s what is the greatest concern. This investigation is missing out on those who benefitted from this scandal,” she said.
BJP general secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad said: “The Delhi Police did not undertake any investigation for three years. In spite of Supreme Court rap, they did a very bad job and every attempt was made to shield the real culprits. Every time the whistle-blowers are subjugated and put in jail.”
Prasad also questioned the “beneficiary” of the cash-for-votes scam.
“Amar Singh was not the beneficiary. He was not a minister then and was not in UPA. He was with Mulayam Singh (Yadav) and Singh’s party (Samajwadi Party) was not in UPA then,” said Prasad.
Six people have been arrested in the scandal, including the former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh.
Another BJP leader Balbir Punj said Kulkarni has made a statement that he was part of the sting operation.
“In fact (L.K) Advaniji also wanted to be arrested because he too said that he was part of the operation. It is obvious who gave the money,” said Punj.