NEW DELHI: The Pawan Bansal Committee of the Lok Sabha, which submitted its report to Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Wednesday, is believed to have recommended that the 10 members of the House who were caught in the cash-for-questions sting operation be expelled.

It is learnt that V.K. Malhotra of the Bharatiya Janata Party has, in a dissent note, suggested that the matter be sent to the Privileges Committee to facilitate a fuller inquiry before a final decision is taken.

Over the last 10 days the five-member committee viewed the original videos and interrogated journalists involved in the sting operation as well as the 10 MPs, who were caught on camera allegedly taking money for asking specific questions in Parliament. All of them were asked to make their statements to the committee under oath.

It is learnt that the Speaker will table the report on Thursday. It is expected that all members will be given a copy so that they will have time to read it. On Friday a resolution is likely to be moved in the House on the basis of the report.

The 10 MPs have not attended the House since the sting operation came to light. The Speaker said they should stay away although they were not formally suspended. They are: M.K. Annasaheb Patil, Y.G. Mahajan, Chandra Pratap Singh, Praveen Gandhi, Suresh Chancel (all of the BJP); Raja Ram Pal, Marinara Kushwaha, Lal Chandra (BSP); Ramsewak Singh (Congress) and Manoj Kumar (RJD).

Besides Mr. Bansal and Mr. Malhotra, the members of the committee are Mohammad Salim (CPI-M), Ram Gopal Yadav (Samajwadi Party) and C. Kuppuswami (DMK).

In the Rajya Sabha, the Ethics Committee is expected to submit on Friday its report on the matter involving Chhatrapal Singh (BJP), who was also caught in the sting operation.

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