Report: SP tried to shield Saxena from further probe

As the Delhi Police gear up to quiz politician Amar Singh after Sanjeev Saxena’s arrest in the cash-for-vote scam, the parliamentary probe panel report on the scam shows that Samajwadi Party (SP) had tried to shield Saxena from further police probe.

Saxena is considered a former aide of Singh.

SP leader Ramgopal Yadav wrote a letter to panel chief Kishore Chandar Deo on November 5, 2008, to delete the committee’s observations about Saxena.

“It is our clear view that no investigation by any external investigative agency ought to be sought for or ordered as to do so would be virtually undermining the authority of the Parliament,” Yadav wrote in his letter, tabled along with the report in Parliament.

Deo committee has stated that “the role and involvement of Sanjeev Saxena in the matter needs to be further investigated. Since the committee do not have the wherewithal of an investigating agency, it would be in the fitness of things if the matter is inquired into by an investigating agency.”

When Yadav wrote the letter, Singh was the party general secretary and a Rajya Sabha member of the Samajwadi Party.

Yadav also differed from the committee’s views on the deposition of Saxena, which observed that Saxena’s deposition “does not sound convincing by any stretch of imagination” and “appears to be too confusing, incoherent and unclear”. Yadav wanted these remarks to be deleted.