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Probe Lalu's cash payments: BJP

Special Correspondent

"He paid bills worth Rs. 10 lakh in cash for his daughter's wedding"

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday alleged that Railway Minister Lalu Prasad paid in cash bills worth Rs. 10 lakh in connection with his daughter's wedding in May.This was against the law and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram must look into this, the party said.

Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar has written to Mr. Chidambaramto point out that under the law all payments of more than Rs. 50,000 are to be made by cheque and the transaction must carry the person's Permanent Account Number given by the Income Tax authorities. This was not done by the Railway Minister.

Since Mr. Chidambaram has recently introduced a new income-tax form that also has columns related to expenditure, he must begin by inquiring into the expenses incurred by Mr. Prasad. Already a case related to disproportionate assets was pending against Mr. Prasad, the BJP said.

On the promised release of five ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom) leaders by the Government, the BJP has described this as "payback" by the Congress to ULFA.

It alleged that the Congress had a secret understanding with ULFA during the recent Assembly elections. The BJP was always against holding talks or negotiating with insurgents without the pre-condition of laying down of arms.

The release of leaders would send out a clear signal that the Congress had an understanding with ULFA. "This will demoralise the security forces and complicate the situation in Assam," Mr. Javadekar said.

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