RS Ethics Committee takes up JD-U MP Anil Sahani case

The Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha has taken up the case of JD-U MP Anil Sahani, accused in LTC scam by CBI.
The panel chaired by Karan Singh was scheduled to meet again today but it could not due to lack quoram.
Sahani has, however, written to the panel claiming that it was he who actually "exposed" the scandal.
The panel has taken up the matter following Sahani's suspension from the party's Parliamentary Board and after Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari granted sanction to CBI to prosecute the MP in the case.
CBI had filed a charge sheet against Sahani alleging that he, in collusion with other persons, used forged e-tickets and fake boarding passes to defraud Rajya Sabha to the tune of Rs 23.71 lakh as travel and dearness allowance reimbursement without undertaking actual journey.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Ansari had on April 15 given his approval to CBI to prosecute the JD-U MP for his alleged role in the scam.

Citing explusion of BJP MP Chhatrapal Singh Lodha in the 2005 cash-for-query scam on the recommendations of the then Ethics Committee also headed by Karan Singh, JD-U general secretary K C Tyagi had written to the panel Chairman, saying Sahani's case is also a "fit case" to be taken up on same lines.
While announcing his suspension last month, Tyagi had talked about his party's "zero tolerance" to corruption.
Sources in JD-U say party President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had earlier wanted the MP to resign on moral ground but Sahani dug in his heels.

The Ethics Committee had sought an explanation from Sahani on May 5, acting on a missive by Tyagi.
In his reply to the Ethics Committee Chairman, Sahani, a second time MP from Bihar, alleged that the case against him was a "political conspiracy" by BJP to malign him and to affect the Assemby polls in Bihar in which he was campaigning for the grand alliance of JD(U)-RJD-Congress as a "star campaigner".
He also advised party general secretary Tyagi, who had announced his suspension last month that he "should have waited" for the court verdict.