New Delhi:
BJP MP Ashok Argal was today chargesheeted by the Delhi police in the 2008 cash-for-vote scam in a court here which will decide on his summoning on October 7.
Argal's name was included in the second supplementary chargesheet following a sanction granted by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar to the Delhi Police for his prosecution.
The fresh chargesheet placed before Special Judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal also accompanied the copy of the sanction obtained by the crime branch of Delhi Police to prosecute the sitting BJP MP under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
"I have received prosecution sanction of the competent authority to prosecute Ashok Argal, a sitting MP of 15th Lok Sabha under section 7 and 13 (1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act," the investigating officer said in the chargesheet.
Secretary General of the Lok Sabha T K Viswanathan had forwarded the sanction order to prosecute Argal to the city police commissioner.
"I am directed by the Speaker to inform you that Speaker has, upon consideration of the application of the DCP dated August 23 and documents submitted along with the same, granted sanction for prosecuting Ashok Argal, MP, 15th Lok Sabha under section 7, 13 (1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act," the letter of the Secretary General of the Lok Sabha, enclosed with the chargesheet, said.
The police said that no sanction is required to prosecute Argal under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.
"No sanction is required under section 120B of the IPC. The details of investigation and evidence against MP Ashok Argal have already been mentioned in the chargesheets filed in the court on August 24 and September 30," the chargesheet said.
The police said that they had written a letter to the additional secretary of Lok Sabha to provide them the details of voting which took place on July 22, 2008.
"On October 3, 2011 the said details have been received, all the documents containing the details are attached with this supplementary chargesheet and concerned persons have been cited as witnesses," the chargesheet said.
As per the details provided by the Lok Sabha, 275 MPs had voted in favour of the then UPA-I government, 256 MPs voted against it and two MPs abstained from the trust vote on July 22, 2008.
After perusing the documents, the court said it will keep the chargesheet for consideration on October 7.
However, before the order was put in writing, an oral order was conveyed through the court staff creating some confusion for the prosecutor and investigating officer.
The court staff had conveyed to them that the judge has issued notice and kept the matter for further proceedings on October 14.
However, minutes later, the court staff said instead of listing the matter on October 14, it will come up for consideration for issuing notice on October 7.