New Delhi
August 03, 2008
To
The Chairman,
The Committee to enquire into the complaint made by some Members regarding alleged offer of money to them in connection with voting on the Motion of Confidence,
147, Parliament House,
New Delhi.
Sir,
On July 25, 2008 we had submitted to you a detailed representation alleging efforts to use unfair means including bribery to induce us to abstain from voting in the Vote of Confidence debate in the Lok Sabha on 21st and 22nd July, 2008.
We had stated that the entire effort was to contact us through Shri Rewati Raman Singh, MP to persuade us to meet Shri Amar Singh, General Secretary, Samajwadi Party. After this meeting an initial amount of Rs. One crore was paid to us and the same was recorded by an independent TV channel CNNIBN.
We had expected the channel to telecast the entire expose but unfortunately it has not done so.
The channel has now publicly stated that its investigations in the matter were not complete and it was, therefore, unable to telecast the expose.
However, it is evident that the channel did not make any effort to either pursue or telecast its investigation for the knowledge and information of the Indian public. In the absence of the channel having performed its public duty, we along with our colleagues have continued to pursue this matter and have several facts to place before you and the enquiry committee. These facts will conclusively establish beyond reasonable doubt the veracity of what we had complained.
The entire expose comprises of three stages:
- The offer as made by Shri Rewati Raman Singh, an MP from Samajwadi Party.
- The meeting between the two of us and Shri Amar Singh and the conversation that he facilitated between us and Shri Ahmed Patel on telephone.
- The advance amount sent to us by Shri Amar Singh through his associate/assistant, Shri Sanjeev Saxena.
We are now placing before you the complete record of each of the above three stages.
STAGE-I : THE OFFER
We have already mentioned in our complaint that late in the evening of July 21,2008 we received a message from Shri Rewati Raman Singh, MP that he would meet us at the residence of Shri Ashok Argal at 4, Ferozeshah Road. The living room of Shri Ashok Argal had been bugged and fitted with secret cameras and audio devices by CNN-IBN news channel which had deputed its correspondent Shri Sidharth Gautam along with some other staff members to expose the corruption being practiced in the course of the vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha. Shri Rewati Raman Singh repeatedly induced us to meet Shri Amar Singh. We were also keen to know his real intention. The extracts of our conversation with Shri Rewati Raman Singh, inter alia, include the following relevant sentences as would be evident from the audio and video recording available with you.
Rewati Raman Singh : ……………… Arrey yaar hum hai na chalo toh, hum hai na app chalo toh, hum hai na appke saath.
Rewati Raman Singh : Arrey ho gayi na aap chalo toh aapke saamne baat karta hoon ki poori raat yahin hota rahega ki hum baat kartey rahey ki aap jao bat karlo. Hum baat kar chuke hai tabhi toh yahan aaye hai.
Mahaveer Singh : Nahin aur baat thi.
Rewati Raman Singh : kya baat hai batao…
Mahaveer Singh : Amount ki toh baat nahi huyi hogi …
Rewati Raman Singh : Amount ka toh humne baat nahin kiya hai, humne toh baat kiya nahin hai, amount ki toh aapke saamne baat hogi. Aapke saamne baat hogi agar aapko baat karna ho jayegi. Agar aapko karna hoga toh kariyega nahi toh aap aapne ghar jao.. amount ka toh… baat karenge hum kaise karle… hum kya jaane aap…. FagganSingh : nahin woh baat nahi hai…. Dekhiye baat hone se insaan ko idea ho jaata hai?
Rewati Raman Singh : Baat toh har jagah hota hai, aamne saamne baat hotey hai, peth peechey baat nahi hoti. Agar aapko baat pasand hoga toh theek hai, isme itni preshani ki kya baat hai. Hum aapke ghar chalkar aaye….
Rewati Raman Singh : Isliye toh keh raha hoon Chaliye aamne saamne baat ho jayegi agar aapka hoga tab theek hai nahi toh mat kijiyega. Koi zabardasti thodi na hai. Aap kahoge toh hum abhi bhi taal dengey kyn. Agar aapka pasand hoga toh kariyega nahin toh nahi kariyega baat khatam ho gaya. Aap bhi aapne ghar jao, aur hum bhi jaaye. Nahin aamne saamne baat hogi. Teeno ke satisfaction ke liye saath mein baat hogi, wahan pe kuch pata thodi na lag payega,toh phir kya chalo.
Rewati Raman Singh Ishme itni preshani ki kya baat hai 10 minutes baithiyega aur 10 minutes main baat ho jayegi aur baat khatam. Phone se kya baat karun phone se kya baat hogi
You have got the audio and videotapes. We are enclosing the transcript of the tapes with this representation. We believe this to be the true transcript. We understand that the channel has submitted several CDs to the Hon’ble Speaker which have been handed over to the Committee. We are unaware of the authenticity of those CDs. When the channel had placed the secret cameras and audio devices in the living room of Shri Ashok Argal, we were given to understand that the audio recording of the audio devices would be much better than the audio recording on the video cameras. Thus, if the video cameras, the audio CD and the transcript of the conversation are seen, heard or read separately, it may be difficult for members of the committee to co-relate the same. It is, therefore, important that the video CD is juxtaposed with the audio recording and the transcript so as to give the members of the hon’ble committee, a clear and fair idea of what is contained in the cassettes itself. An attempt is already being made to create false evidence and to deny the veracity of what we have said. An attempt will be made by those who are te targets of this investigation to blur the voice quality of the tapes (such attempt may already have been made).The Committee should therefore use the services of voice enhancement equipment so that the names and the statements made in the tapes are audible.
The Committee would be required to examine the following evidence in order to determine the veracity of our charges, on the first limb:-
- Cross examination of Shri Rewati Raman Singh in order to extract the truth from him as to in what context he was trying to persuade the three of us to meet someone in person and who this someone was. It had already been made clear to us that the person in question was Shri Amar Singh, the General Secretary of Samajwadi Party.
- The statement of the three complainant MPs should also be recorded.
- The reporter of the Staff members of the CNN-IBN who organized the recording and who were present at Shri Ashok Argal’s residence in the adjacent room when the recording was done. Their evidence would be an independent corroboration of what is contained in the tape.
- The statements, evidence of the three MPs and the reporter and staff members of CNN-IBN would corroborate every word in the CDs.
STAGE-II: THE MEETING
The next morning on July, 22, 2008, the two of us Shri Ashok Argal and Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste was taken to Shri Amar Singh’s residence at 27, Lodi Estate, New Delhi. We went there in a white Maruti Zen. Our car was followed by a CNN-IBN car with its reporter which contained the CNN-IBN team. Our visit to Shri Amar Singh’s house and back was recorded by the channel. We have already mentioned the conversation Shri Amar Singh had with two of us in the complaint. He had also made us speak to Shri Ahmed Patel on phone.
The fact that Shri Amar Singh met us is conclusively proved by the following :
- Our driving to the residence of Shri Amar Singh and back and the same is clearly visible on the video recordings.
- The oral evidence of the CNN-IBN team which followed our vehicle from 4, Ferozshah Road to 27 Lodi Estate and back to 4, Ferozshah Road.
- Computer records of the telephones of Shri Amar Singh and Ahmed Patel should be obtained and the factum of Shri Amar Singh having spoken to Shri Ahmed Patel and made him speak to us from his residence on the morning of 22nd July,2008 be established.
STAGE-III : THE PAYMENT – THE MOST CRUCIAL PHASE
This is the most crucial part of the investigation. Why should a person called Shri Sanjeev Saxena come to 4-Ferozshah Road to make payment of the first installment of Rs. One crore. Shri Sanjeev Saxena has been working as a part of the staff of Shri Amar Singh for quite some time. Shri Amar Singh had offered to make payment to us when we went to his house but we refused to walk out with the payment on the ground that there were media persons outside the gate. Soon after we reached the residence of Shri Ashok Argal, Shri Sanjeev Saxena arrived with one colleague. Their entire movements and conversation in the room was recorded by the cameras fitted by the CNN-IBN team. The entire transcript of the conversation as recorded in the room conclusively establishes that Shri Sanjeev Saxena came as a representative of Shri Amar Singh to deliver the money, made the complainants speak to Shri Amar Singh and repeatedly dialed the phone number of Shri Amar Singh from his own mobile phone. The relevant resume of the evidence in this regard is as under:
The Scene and the conversation
Sanjeev Saxena : Dialing a number from his mobile.
Mahaveer Singh : Amar Singh ji se ?
Ashok : Haa.
Mahaveer : Kya naam bataya aapne apna?
Sanjeev : Sanjeev.
Mahaveer : Ek baar Amar Singhji se baat ho jaati..
Sanjeev : Abhi busy chal raha hai unka phone..
Mahaveer : Yeh poora hai, (Refers to money)
Sanjeev : Maine count nahi kiya hai, jaise diya waise hi le aaya.
Mahaveer : count toh kar lete, ha ha
Ashok : baat toh ho gaya hai, aapka bacha hua, ap nahi aaye they us samay nahi toh wahi ho jaati. (This corroborates that only two MPs had gone in the morning and spoken about the third )
Mahaveer : Kaam se mujhe jaana para.
Sanjeev (on the phone) : Baat abh chal rahi hai, jaise hi khatam hogi mujhe batana.
Sanjeev : bas
Ashok : bas baat ho jaye
Sanjeev : haan
Ashok : ek baar inki baat karwa do inki sahab se..
Sanjeev : haan, haan abhi busy chal rahi hai sahab ka phone.
Mahaveer: ek kaam aur karoge? Yeh dono kai hai
Ashok : yeh to token money hai
Mahaveer : Wahi toh main keh raha hoon…
Ashok : biswas toh karna hoga
Sanjeev’s phone rings.
Sanjeev : haan ji Sir yeah Ashokji aur Mahaveer Singh Bagaria ji baat karna chahtey hai, who bhi yahan baithey hue hai.
Ashok : halo halo, Mahaveer Bagaora ji bola tha na aapko who aagaye hi, baat kar lijiye (hands over the phone to Mahaveer).
Mahaveer : Halo, Namaskar, hum subhey aa nahi paye the, kyunki hamare CM Sahab aa gaye they, Rajasthan ke CM saheb aa gaye they na toh main aapke pass haziri nahi ho paya tha. Main subhey haazir nahi ho paya tha. Main abhi Ashokji ke yahan aaya hua hoon. Ashokji jo hai na MP unke pass aaya tha. Ashoji ke ke yahan hoon...lo aap baat karo.
Sanjeev : Yes Sir, main Sanjeev bol raha hoon. Haan Ashok ji hi aur Ek Mahaveer Singh Bagaria ji hai Rajasthan se, jo aap baat kar rahe they.. Bagora Bagora. Haanji Kulaste jee, …. jee Sir, jee Sir, main baaat karvata hoon, lijiye baat kijiye.
Hands the phone to Ashok.
Ashok : 1 crore prapt ho gaya. 1 pora prapt ho gaya. 1 crore prapt ho gaya hai. Jee theek hai. Maloom hai, theek hai
Sir:
It is clear from the above extracts, the complete version of which is enclosed that Shri Sanjeev Saxena came on behalf of Shri Amar Singh to deliver the money to the three of us. Since Shri Mahavir Singh Baghora could not meet Shri Amar Singh in the morning it was important for him to get Shri Mahavir Singh to speak to Amar Singh. After delivering the money on behalf of Shri Amar Singh, Shri Sanjeev Saxena made all of us to speak to Shri Amar Singh . The principal question which the Enquiry Committee should address itself to is as to why Shri Sanjeev Saxena brought the money on behalf of Shri Amar Singh during the Vote of Confidence motion.
Lying is an important circumstance against Shri Amar Singh. He immediately denied on 22nd July, 2008 evening that he did not know anybody called Sanjeev Saxena. Subsequently, answering a question to some media persons he also admitted that Sanjeev Saxena earlier worked with him but no longer. The crucial question thus is who is Sanjeev Saxena and what is his relationship with Shri Amar Singh. This question is conclusively answered by the following facts :-
- 1. The video recording would show that one of the persons present on the CD, seeks the mobile number of Shri Sanjeev Saxena who gave the number of mobile phone. He was carrying his mobile phone number i.e. 9811721499. This phone even otherwise is regularly used by Shri Sanjeev Saxena and is registered in the name of a company, namely, M/s HFCL. The phone is in the name of HFCL c/o Sanjeev Saxena and recorded at his address H-186 Ramakrishan Vihar, IP Extension, Plot No.29, New Delhi. M/s HFCL is a corporate group which is known to be close to Shri Amar Singh.
- Shri Sanjeev Saxena has been using this phone number to send various SMS messages to various persons including Press reporters on the political beat in Delhi. The Vote of Confidence took place on 21-22 July, 2008. An illustration of such a message sent to the entire political media of Delhi on 20th July, 2008 at 5.23 PM read as under :
"MR. AMAR SINGH WILL ADDRESS A PC TODAY (20-7-08) AT 7 PM AT 27 LODI ESTATE. THANKS AND REGARDS : SANJEEV SAXENA"
This was the Press Conference in which Shri Amar Singh announced the defection of Shri Brij Bhushan Saran Singh, MP. The fact that Shri Sanjeev Saxena was giving messages from his phone informing Press reporters about the Press Conference of Shri Amar Singh as late as on 20 July, 2008 makes it clear that he was working with Shri Amar Singh till that day. - Shri Sanjeev Saxena came to the residence of Shri Ashok Argal along with his colleague in a White Gypsy Regn No. DL3CS 8562. This car is registered in the name of M/s Pankaja Art and Credit, c/o E-593, GK-II, New Delhi, a firm belonging to Amar Singh’s family. This firm belongs to members of the family of Shri Amar Singh and is registered at his private residence E-593, Greater Kailash-II, New Delhi where he earlier stayed before becoming a MP.
- The clinching evidence with regard to association of Shri Amar Singh and Shri Sanjeev Saxena is inbuilt in the cassette itself. Shri Sanjeev Saxena makes the three MPs speak to Shri Amar Singh over phone. The phone gets repeatedly disconnected. He re-dials the phone repeatedly and gets the MPs to speak to Shri Amar Singh. He also speaks to Amar Singh himself. All this is recorded in the record of Shri Sanjeev Saxena’s mobile phone No. 9811721499. The computer record of this phone clearly shows that all these calls have been made to phone No. 011-24616827. This phone is registered in the name of Shri Amar Singh at his residence 27-Lodi Estate, New Delhi-3. Men can lie but circumstances don’t. If during the period when Shri Sanjeev Saxena was at the residence of Shri Ashok Argal, the telephone records show repeated phone calls to the phone installed at Amar Singh’s residence and the video recording shows that he dials the phone repeatedly and gets the MPs to speak to Amar Singh. There cannot be a better clinching evidence than this. The number of phone calls shown on the computer records of Phone No. 9811721499 clearly is as many as the number of calls connected by Shri Sanjeev Saxena on the video recordings. The fact that he is calling up the landline of Shri Amar Singh is also recorded on the Video CDs. The mobile phone record of Sanjeev Saxena is recorded herewith.
- With the advent of technology, the movement of a person can be got determined from the movement of his mobile phone. The movement of Shri Sanjeev Saxena’s mobile phone on the morning of 22 July, 2008 shows that after 10 AM he had left Lodi Estate and reached Ferozshah Road. This movement can be determined from the record of the telephone Service provider which clearly shows that at 10 AM he had left Cell Tower having jurisdiction over Lodi Estate and reached the area in and around Ferozshah Road which came under a different Cell Tower jurisdiction. A record of Sanjeev Saxena’s phone is enclosed with this representation. The Committee should summon the entire record of the telephone service provider of phone number 9811721499. The phone calls made from this number to Shri Amar Singh’s landline are from the Cell tower covering 4, Ferozshah Road. All phone calls made from the mobile phones of Sanjeev Saxena and even his colleague should be identified and inquired into whether they were made to the numbers available with Shri Amar Singh.
- Shri Sanjeev Saxena’s mobile phone No. 9811721499 went into disuse immediately after the ‘Cash for Vote’ scam was shown in Parliament. This shows the guilty intention of Sanjeev Saxena.
- Shri Sanjeev Saxena and his family has now gone into hiding after the expose and shifted out of his residence H-186, Ramakrishan Vihar,IP Extension, New Delhi.
- On 1st August, 2008, Uma Bharati made public a make belief CD showing Shri Sanjeev Saxena coming out of 9, Ashoka Road and entering 4, Ferozshah Road. This was a play-acting recording done after 22.07.2008 as is evident from the hoarding at Shri Argal’s residence at 4, Ferozshah Road. The payment for this hoarding was made on 24/7/2008 by Dushyant Gautam who put up the hoarding and the hoarding was put up on 25/7/2008. The necessary documents in this regard are enclosed herewith. Not only does the presence of the hoarding put up on 25/7/2088 demolish this false evidence, there is another fundamental flaw in it. In the fake play acted CD that Sanjeev Saxena has facilitated he is carrying a Black Bag which is entirely different from the ‘Thaila type much larger bag’ in the CD recorded by CNN-IBN. This clearly shows that Shri Sanjeev Saxena even on and after 22/07/2008 was in the control of those who recorded the CD for play acting. Sushri Uma Bharati released the CD after meeting Shri Amar Singh. Both of them should be summoned before this Committee. Shri Sanjeev Saxena is under the complete control of Shri Amar Singh.
His subsequent CD is recorded at his will of Sh. Amar Singh and he disappears at Shri Amar Singh’s convenience. - The oral evidence of the three MPs that Shri Sanjeev Saxena came to deliver money on behalf of Shri Amar Singh is a key evidence which substantiates the contents of the CD.
- The contents of the CD be further corroborated by the CNN-IBN team which was present at 4-Ferozshah Road at the time when this transaction was recorded.
- The payment by Shri Sanjeev Saxena on behalf of Shri Amar Singh, the link of Shri Saxena to Shri Amar Singh, the phone calls made by Shri Sanjeev Saxena from 4, Ferozshah Road to Shri Amar Singh and the video contents of CD conclusively proves that the money was sent by Shri Amar Singh to bribe the 3 MPs to abstain from the Vote of Confidence, This is direct evidence which can be corroborated by the statements of the MPs and the members of the CNNIBN team.
We have been constrained to analyse the entire evidence and present it to you so that the same can be given to all members of the Committee who then have the benefit of the entire transaction as visible on the CD. We have expressed our fear that the CD which has been submitted late requires to be authenticated and then juxtaposed with the contents of the audio recording and the transcript of the CD is available.
All supporting documents in regard to our above submissions are being enclosed as Annexures to this representation.
As our colleague, Shri Mahavir Baghora (Salumbar, Rajasthan) is hospitalized, he could not append his signature to this representation.
With regards,
Yours sincerely,
(Ashok Argal) Member, Lok Sabha (Morena, Madhya Pradesh)
(Faggan Singh Kulaste) Member, Lok Sabha (Mandla, Madhya Pradesh)
Encl: As mentioned above
