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Cash-for-vote: Delhi police arrests 'Amar's man'

Last updated on: July 17, 2011 18:07 IST

The Delhi Police on Sunday arrested Sanjeev Saxena, considered close to former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, in connection with the 2008 cash-for-vote scam in Parliament.

On July 22, 2008, three Bharatiya Janata Party members had placed Rs 1 crore cash in Lok Sabha alleging they were given to them by floor managers of the UPA government to secure their support during the no-confidence motion after Left parties withdrew their support over the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The allegation was levelled by BJP MPs Ashok Argal, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Bhagora.

Delhi Police Crime Branch chief Ashok Chand confirmed the arrest of Saxena to rediff.com.

Saxena was summoned to the Chanakyapuri police station crime branch office in New Delhi on Sunday morning. As soon as he arrived, he was told that he has been placed under arrest, Chand also informed.

"Currently he is being interrogated at the same office," he added.

The 'callous' approach of the Delhi police in probing the 2008 'cash-for-vote scam' came under severe criticism on Friday from the Supreme Court, which asked it why no custodial interrogation has been conducted in the case so far.

Role of Amar Singh, Sudheendra Kulkarni and Suhail Hindustani would also be investigated by the crime branch besides the three BJP MPs who had claimed that they had been offered money for remaining absent from the house.

According to sources, the role of 'another senior leader of BJP' is also under scrutiny who 'was directing the entire episode from the central hall of the Parliament.'

Onkar Singh in New Delhi