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Video footage of ‘attempt to bribe MPs’ given to Speaker

NEW DELHI: The video footage of an alleged attempt to bribe three Bharatiya Janata Party MPs was given to Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee by television channel CNN IBN. However, sources in the Lok Sabha Secretariat said the MPs have yet to give a formal complaint to the Speaker, after which a decision could be taken on initiating an inquiry.

At the Speaker’s chamber where a meeting of some party leaders took place immediately after the House was adjourned following the display of cash, Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani was reportedly told by the Speaker that he disapproved of the manner in which the BJP had gone about dealing with the alleged bribe-giving episode.

On Tuesday night, the cash was put back in the two bags in which they were brought in. The bags were then sealed in the presence of the MPs and their signatures taken that they had “tabled” the cash. The bags were then kept in a safe deposit in the room of the Lok Sabha Secretary General and the safe was sealed at 10 p.m.

Reports suggest that the Lok Sabha Secretariat is seeking advice from the Law Ministry as to what has to be done with the cash pending inquiry.

It is learnt that head of CNN IBN Rajdeep Sardesai submitted the “tapes” to the Speaker around 5 p.m. on Wednesday evening along with a letter explaining the role of the channel in the so-called “sting” operation.

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