Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday said that a “wad of cash” was recovered from the seat allotted to Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi during a routine check by parliamentary security officials the previous day.
According to PTI, Dhankar claimed that the wad comprised 100 notes of Rs 500. “It was my duty and I'm obliged to inform the House,” he said. “This is a routine anti-sabotage check which takes place.”
Responding to this, the MP from Telangana stated that an inquiry should be conducted into the matter and any “failing in the security agencies” must be “completely exposed”.
In his opening remarks in the Upper House of Parliament, Dhankhar said the cash was “recovered by security officials from seat no 222 presently alloted to Abhishek Manu Singhvi”.
“The matter was brought to my notice, and I made sure an investigation takes place and the same is underway,” said the Rajya Sabha chairman.
In a social media post, Singhvi said he carries only a Rs 500 note to Parliament.
“First time heard of it,” the MP wrote. “I reached inside the House at 12.57 pm yesterday day and the House rose at 1 pm; then I sat in canteen till 1.30 pm with Sh Ayodhya Rami Reddy then I left parliament!”
Speaking to reporters outside the parliament, he said he finds it “bizarre” that the matter was being politicised.
“Of course there must be an inquiry as to how people can come and put anything anywhere in any seat,” said Singhvi.
He added: “It means that each of us must have a seat where the seat itself can be locked and the key can be carried home by the MP because everybody can then do things on the seat and make allegations about this. If it was not tragic and serious it would be comical.”
Following Dhankhar’s remarks, Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, stated that Singhvi’s name should not have been mentioned as an investigation into the matter is underway, reported India Today.
Union minister Kiren Rijiju, however, said there was nothing wrong in pointing out that the seat from which the cash was allegedly recovered was allotted to Singhvi.
Calling the incident “extremely unfortunate and serious”, Bharatiya Janata Party chief JP Nadda said that the MPs should “collectively condemn this”.
“It's not a matter of ruling or opposition parties; it's a blow to the dignity of the House,” said Nadda in Rajya Sabha. “It’s a question mark on the credibility of the House.”
He added: “I firmly believe that the investigation will reveal the truth, and the guilty will be exposed.”
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