Plea against Amar Singh dismissed

A court here Wednesday dismissed a plea seeking registration of an abduction case against former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and others.

Additional Sessions Judge Raj Kapoor dismissed the plea filed by Hashmat Ali, a prosecution witness in the cash-for-votes episode in parliament ahead of a trust vote in 2008.

Ali sought registration of a case against Amar Singh, his close aides Tarun and Ramesh for kidnapping, illegal confinement and on other charges under the Arms Act.

Ali said in his complaint that Sep 25, 2008, when he was to record his testimony before a parliamentary inquiry committee constituted to probe the cash-for-votes episode, he was abducted by Tarun and Ramesh and was taken to Amar Singh's Lodhi Estate bungalow.

The scam is linked to the developments of July 22, 2008 when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members Faggan Singh Kulaste, Mahavir Bhagora and Ashok Argal 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 court has given a clean chit to the three political leaders and Amar Singh in the cash-for-votes case.