Amar Singh arrested, sent to Tihar jail in cash-for-votes scam

Rajya Sabha MP and former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and two former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs were Tuesday arrested and sent to judicial custody for alleged involvement in the cash-for-votes scandal during the July 2008 trust vote in Parliament. Special Judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal sent Amar Singh as well as Fagan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Singh Bhagora to judicial custody till Sep 19.



Amar Singh, wearing a cream kurta pyjama, looked shocked when he heard the verdict.
He was soon whisked away by policemen.
Dismissing the interim bail plea, the judge said: "The application is at prerequisite stage to decide. Therefore, let the prosecution file the replies."
The judge also observed that grounds for interim bail are similar to that of regular bail.
Within a couple of hours of pleading for exemption from personal appearance, Amar Singh presented himself before a Delhi court, which summoned him in the 2008 cash-for-vote scam, and sought interim bail.
Amar Singh, who had earlier through his counsel sought exemption from attending the court on medical grounds, appeared before Special Judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal armed with all his medical reports.
Making a fervent plea to the court to grant him bail on medical grounds, 55-year-old Singh said that he has only recently undergone kidney transplant at Singapore and requires intensive round the clock medicare.
Personally arguing his case for over five minutes, he said he has also developed infection in his urinary tract for which he has to visit Singapore for tests every three months, besides being in constant touch with doctors.
"I lost my kidneys and I am now living on borrowed kidneys. There are hazards of being in public life and there is infection in my urinary track which is dangerous for my borrowed kidney," said Singh.
"I was having (health) problems since yesterday. I have faith in judiciary and in the Constitution. I was treated in Mt. Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore and have to travel every three months (for medical check ups)," said Singh, pleading to the court to take note of his health condition.
On July 22, 2008, three BJP MPs waved wads of currency notes in the Lok Sabha ahead of a trust vote, alleging they were given the money to vote in favour of the Manmohan Singh government.
The chargesheet alleged that during investigation "sufficient evidence" came on record that on the morning of July 22, 2008, Amar Singh "hatched a criminal conspiracy with his secretary Sanjeev Saxena to deliver cash of Rs.1 crore as illegal gratification".
On its part, the Samajwadi Party said that Amar Singh is being made a scape goat. (With PTI inputs)