BJP seeks big probe into oil-for-food scam

Panaji, Aug 12: BJP President Rajnath Singh has asked the Centre for an independent inquiry into the Iraq oil-for-food scam, in light of the utterances of former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh, who was indicted by the Pathak authority report.

Mr Singh told mediapersons here today the probe agency should be shortlisted and its terms of reference finalised in consultation with the main Opposition BJP.

''Let there be no dispute in constituting the investigating agency to probe into the scam. Consult the main Opposition BJP,'' he said.

The Pathak authority, in fact, was a toothless commission set up right from the beginning to absolve the Congress of its complicity in the scam, he added.

The commission had left it open for interpretation as to how Congress party's name figured in the list of non-contractual beneficiaries.

Questioning why AICC president Sonia Gandhi's statement had not been recorded, he said the commission traced the money trail from Baghdad to Delhi's Hamadan Export, but lost interest to track it further.

''There was enough proof on which Pathak could have deliberated in deciding whether Congress was involved in the deal. It should have inquired as to who introduced the Congress delegation to the Iraqi Government and whether Ms Gandhi wrote an introductory letter,'' Mr Singh said.

The account books of AICC should have been checked, as to whether the party was a non-contractual beneficiary in the scam, he added.

UNI

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