TV channel airs cash-for-vote tapes

NEW DELHI: The controversial tapes on the 'cash for votes' scam that shocked Parliament during the trust vote were telecast on Monday night by the TV channel that had covered the sting operation.

The tapes show SP leader Reoti Raman Singh in conversation with three BJP MPs. The MPs had claimed that they were sought to be bribed for support to the government.

The tapes, which have been submitted by the channel to the Parliamentary committee probing the bribery allegations, show the MPs with a person named Sanjeev who purportedly gives them Rs 1 crore which is placed on a table.

The three BJP MPs, Ashok Argal, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahaveer Bhagora, had claimed that they were given the money to abstain from voting in government's confidence motion on July 22. They had displayed bundles of currency notes in the House.

The three MPs had accused Samajwadi Party leaders Amar Singh and Reoti Raman Singh as being behind the bribery attempt, which both have already denied. Amar Singh does not figure in the tapes though the persons in the recording are seen referring to some "Singhji".

Asked by the channel whether the three MPs were trying to cross over and the BJP leadership had forced them into the operation, BJP leader Arun Jaitley said they had complained that while they had been rebuffing the attempts, media was carrying their names as "suspects".

"So, we told them to take a bold step and become whistle blowers," he said.