Panel report on cash-for-vote scam on Oct 20

NEW DELHI: The parliamentary standing committee, probing the alleged cash-for-vote scam, on Thursday concluded examination of witnesses and collection of evidence and has decided to submit its report to the Lok Sabha on October 20.

This decision was taken by the panel even as some members claimed that the arrest of a person, who was to appear before the panel on Thursday, from the residence of SP leader Amar Singh a few hours earlier, was ���part of an attempt to block the evidence from reaching before the committee.���

The decision of the committee headed by Mr Kishore Chadra Deo to submit its finding on October 20 also means it would seeking an extension beyond the September 30 deadline to submit the report. However, members said this will not mean much as the report has to be submitted to the Lok Sabha which resumes sitting only on October 17.

The committee will now meet on October 6 to discuss the final report which, as per the norms, will be drafted by chairman Deo on behalf of the committee. On Thursday, the committee had summoned a person named Mr Ali, who was shown in the sting tapes as driving a car to the residence of Mr Amar Singh.

Though the committee had no information about his identity and address, he was summoned on the assurance by one of the witnesses that he would get him to appear before the panel.

However, Mr Ali could not make it to the committee meeting as he was arrested amid allegations by Mr Amar Singh that he was trying to blackmail him by demanding money to give a favourable evidence before the panel. On the other hand, Mr Ali claimed that he was being kidnapped.

As Mr Ali failed to turn before the committee, CPI(M) member of the panel Mohammad Salim referred to TV reports about his claims of being kidnapped and told his colleagues that it was part of an attempt to deny the committee important evidence. However, the committee chose not to discuss the matter formally in the absence of Mr Ali.