Cash-for-query scam: HC orders MPs’ investigation

It is the obligation of Delhi Police to book all those persons involved in the offence of taking money for raising questions in Parliament, the court said, while passing the order on a petition filed by Anirudh Bahal, Editor-in-Chief of Cobra Post, which carried out the sting operation.

As many as 11 MPs were caught demanding money on camera in the sting operation for allegedly raising questions in Parliament.

Counsel for Bahal, Siddharth Luhtra, had contended that instead of taking action against the MPs, the police were targeting him for carrying out the sting operation.

It seemed that the Delhi police did not consider taking congnisance of the offence allegedly committed by the MPs, the court said, holding that the sting operation was carried out in the public interest.

Justice Dhingra also directed the police to look into the role of middlemen involved in the scam.

The court had on August 29 sought to know from the police the action taken against the MPs involved in the cash-for-query scam.

It had restrained the police from arresting journalists on the petition of Bahal, which sought quashing of criminal proceedings against the journalists as an FIR was lodged by the police at the behest of MPs.

Eleven MPs — 10 from the Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha– were expelled from Parliament in December 2005 after a TV channel showed them taking bribe for asking questions in the House.