Cops seek dismissal of kidnapping charges against Amar Singh

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The Delhi Police on Monday objected to a plea, seeking a city court to direct it to lodge a criminal case against Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh for allegedly kidnapping a key prosecution witness of the 2008 cash-for-vote scam ahead of his deposition before a lawmakers' panel. Opposing the plea by key witness Hashmat Ali that Singh had threatened and kidnapped him ahead of the deposition, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police sought its dismissal saying the allegations were shorn of any proof.

The police made the submission in its status report to the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Sudesh Kumar on its probe into Ali's complaint. "From inquiry, the allegations in the complaint of Hashmat Ali were not found substantiated and hence no FIR was registered. The petition is an afterthought and without merit, it deserves to be dismissed," the status report said.

The police said as per its inquiry into the matter, no incident of forcibly dragging Hashmat Ali in a car and taking him away from Khan Market area ever took place on September 25, 2008. Admitting the status report by the police, the court slated the matter for further hearing on November 28.

Ali, an alleged associate of BJP activist and co-accused Sohail Hindustani, had sought registration of an FIR against the former Samajwadi Party leader, his secretary Tarun and aide Ramesh under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act relating to kidnapping, illegal confinement, robbery and criminal intimidation.

Ali had alleged that on September 25, 2008, when he was to depose before the parliamentary enquiry committee, constituted to probe the scam, he was kidnapped by co-accused Tarun and Ramesh and was taken Singh's Lodhi Estate bungalow.

He had allegedly taken erstwhile BJP MPs Ashok Argal and Faggan Singh Kulaste in a car to Singh's residence on July 22, 2008 In his complaint to the court, Ali had alleged Singh had first attempted to lure him to give a favourable testimony before the parliamentary panel.

As he did not relent, he was picked up from Khan Market area here at gunpoint and consequently, he could not record his statement before the panel, Singh has been chargesheeted by Delhi Police in the 2008 cash-for-vote scam case along with BJP leader L K Advani's former aide Sudheendra Kulkarni, former BJP MPs Faggan Singh Kulaste, Mahabir Singh Bhagora and Sohail Hindustani and Sanjeev Saxena. All six have been granted bail by the Delhi High Court.