New Delhi, Sep 6 (IANS): Rajya Sabha MP and former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh Tuesday cited health reasons not to appear before a Delhi court, which had summoned him for alleged involvement in the cash for votes scandal that had rocked parliament during the July 2008 trust vote.
"Amar Singh is not well and is confined to bed. The doctor has advised him not to move around. That's why we have moved an application that he will not be able to appear in the court today," his lawyer told reporters outside the Tis Hazari court premises.
"He is not avoiding the court appearance and will appear when the court decides the next date of hearing," he added.
Amar Singh and three others were to appear before a trial court here Tuesday, after Delhi Police filed a chargesheet in the corruption scam.
Special Judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal had Aug 25 issued summons to Amar Singh, former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs Fagan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Bhagora and Sudheendra Kulkarni, a former associate of BJP leader L.K. Advani.
"The chargesheet is based on weak circumstantial evidence," Amar Singh's lawyer said.
On July 22, 2008, three BJP MPs waved wads of currency notes in the Lok Sabha ahead of a trust vote, alleging they were given the money to vote in favour of the Manmohan Singh government.
The chargesheet alleged that during investigation "sufficient evidence" came on record that on morning of July 22, 2008, Amar Singh "hatched a criminal conspiracy with his secretary Sanjeev Saxena to deliver cash of Rs.1 crore as illegal gratification".