Bribery issue will be investigated, says Somnath Chatterjee

New Delhi, July 22 : Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has today said that he would get the issue of money being offered to three BJP MPs, allegedly by the Samajwadi Party, investigated.

A sting operation was conducted by a television channel, which handed over the tapes to the Speaker.

The channel in question also said that what was on the tape was not conclusive.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other opposition MPs trooped into the Well of the Lok Sabha, claiming that they had been paid off by the Samajwadi Party to abstain from this evening's trust vote over the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Proceedings in the Lower House were brought to a complete standstill in the wake of this disclosure.

Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani, while talking to reporters, stated that three BJP MP's, two from Madhya Pradesh and one from Rajasthan, had informed him of the alleged cash transaction or buyout.

Advani said that the BJP MP's from Madhya Pradesh were (1) Ashok Chhaviram Argal, 39, representing the Morena (SC) constituency, (2) Faggan Singh Kulaste, 48, representing the Mandla (ST) constituency and the third was Mahaveer Bhagora, 61, representing the Salumber (SC) constituency in Rajasthan.

Meanwhile, the Lower House has been adjourned till 6.30 PM, when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would give a reply to the House.

The Speaker has stated that voting on the trust motion would be held at 7.15 PM.

ANI