New Delhi, Jul 19 (IANS) Union Panchayati Raj Minister Kishore Chandra Deo, who headed the parliamentary panel to probe the 2008 cash-for-votes scam, Tuesday said former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh was not been called for questioning as there was no prima facie evidence against him.
Deo, who assumed charge of the panchayati raj ministry Tuesday, told journalists that Delhi Police were conducting further investigations according to recommendations of the committee. The parliamentary panel looked into allegations that bribes were paid to win the 2008 parliamentary trust vote.
"My stand is vindicated," Deo said.
Responding to a question, he said there was no malafide on the part of the government and Delhi Police in delaying the probe.
The Supreme Court Friday slammed Delhi Police for an "inefficient and directionless" probe into the cash-for-vote episode, which cast a shadow on the Manmohan Singh government's trust vote win in 2008.
Deo said he had worked according to the evidence before the panel.
He said the tapes before the panel did not have a voice or image of Amar Singh.
"When there was no prima facie evidence, I did not feel the need (to call Amar Singh)," Deo said.
He added that Amar Singh was a member of the Rajya Sabha and seeking his appearance before the panel involved a long process.
Amar Singh's former aide Sanjeev Saxena, who was arrested Sunday in the cash-for-votes scam, told police that the politician had provided him money to bribe MPs in 2008, sources said.
Amar Singh has denied that Saxena was his aide or employee.
Saxena, who said he was working as Amar Singh's secretary for three years, is understood to have told the police that the leader's driver Sanjay had gone along with him to deliver the money - a fact confirmed by two BJP leaders Fagan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Bhagora.
The two were among the three MPs who had alleged they had been paid to abstain from the trust vote sought by the Manmohan Singh government after the Left withdrew support over the India-US nuclear deal.