Cash-for-vote scam: Accused Suhail Hindustani names Congress and SP leaders

NEW DELHI: Suhail Hindustani, an accused in the 2008 cash-for-vote scam, has moved a bail application in a Delhi court claiming that it was top Congress and Samajwadi Party leaders who were involved in the alleged offence.

"The material available with the investigating agency clearly suggest and disclose the fact that persons who are members and associated with Samajwadi Party and ruling Congress Party, namely, Amar Singh, Revati Raman Singh and Ahmad Patel were behind the institution of alleged offence/crime," Hindustani, in his application filed before Special Judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal, said.

The leaders, however, have already denied any involvement in the episode .

The court issued a notice to Crime Branch of Delhi police and sought its response on August 18. Hindustani, arrested on July 20, is in judicial custody.

"There are clinching evidence available with investigating agency which once again clearly establishes the fact that the money given by accused Sanjeev Saxena to original complainant was arranged/given by aforesaid persons (leaders) with the objective to save the then minority government of ruling party i.e Congress Party," the application said.

Hindustani, an alleged BJP worker, sought bail on the ground of his non-involvement and rather went on to say: "the role of applicant herein, if any, is only to an extent to expose rampant corruption in Indian democratic system."

Hindustani alleged frame up and blamed police of ruining its own case by making him an accused instead of a witness.

"The applicant herein rather should have been arrayed as witness by the prosecution but instead of arraying him as a witness, he was made an accused by the investigating agency with the sole objective to destroy the case itself so that the truth should not come out," he said.